


Butterfly Effect

by bluehappyking



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Agents of SHIELD, Angst, Butterfly Effect, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Fluff, Time Travel, changing timelines, kree stone, post 2x22, space time continuum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-03-30 19:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 32,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3948646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluehappyking/pseuds/bluehappyking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post 2x22. Jemma Simmons gets consumed by the Kree Stone which takes her back to 2004 - back to the Academy. There, back in her younger self's body she re-meets Leo Fitz and encounters George Koenig - an LMD who was created by Bradley Koenig - the original. Simmons has to travel back to meet Bradley to tell him to create LMDs throughout all of her timelines as a constant to aid her. However, the butterfly effect means that she can't ever get back to where she was before because a small alteration in the past changes everything. Simmons discovers that she can go back and change her past, discovering the route of all their problems: Grant Ward. By saving him from Garrett, maybe she can prevent all the pain in the future? However, time travel comes at a dangerous price. Will Simmons ever get back to Fitz and will she ever find happiness with him again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

2015

“Urgh, what?” Simmons looked up and saw the door of the box containing the kree stone was open slightly. She reached over to close the door as the liquid flooded out around her. She screamed as it pushed her to the floor. She tried to drag herself away but it was too strong...

Simmons was pulled into the case by the liquid which reformed into a rock...

Everything went dark...

 

2004

“Doctor Simmons?” a voice came. “Jemma Simmons? If you want to sleep then you are in the wrong place.”

Simmons opened her eyes and looked around at a busy lecture hall - every eye focused on her. She gasped and looked around...

“Jemma? What’s wrong?” she felt a hand on her arm and looked over at a teenage Leo Fitz sat next to her. Her mouth gaped open as she stared around. She’d been here before. This was the academy...

“Where...Fitz...where are we?” 

“Sounds like someone had a heavy night,” a voice came and the hall erupted in laughter.

Fitz’s kind blue eyes met hers and she looked down to her shoulders to see her longer hair resting on his shoulders. She started to breath heavily and panic.

“The rock...we...the base?”

“Sounds like a very interesting concert, but if I can get on with the lecture?” Professor Vaughn said and she looked back at him. He looked exactly like he used to...

Simmons reached for the phone before her and looked at the date - October 20th 2004 and she clasped a hand to her mouth.

“No...I...excuse me...” she shot up out of her seat and pushed her way out, grabbing all her stuff.

“Jemma?” Fitz’s eyes followed her. She knew she wouldn’t have to ask twice, but he got up and followed her. “Sorry professor,” he apologised.

Simmons leant herself up against the wall and breathed out heavily. 2004? How the hell had she gotten back to 2004? She had been in that rock - what was it? A time machine? What had it done to her?! She felt completely normal and looked just like her old self? But her brain wasn’t changed.

“Jemma?” she heard Fitz’s voice again and she moved closer to him and hugged him tightly. Even though he didn’t seem to have an idea of what was going on, she needed him to hold her. 

“Fitz...I don’t know where I am...I’m...I’m not meant to be here...” she shook her head frantically. 

“Shh...shh, it’s okay,” he rubbed her back. He was real - completely real and having him there made her feel so much better. Oh...they were meant to be going out to dinner. After all these years, he’d finally asked her. Now they weren’t going to get to go...

Simmons was a scientist, but time travel was impossible...yet here she was. Back in her normal mind, the pain from being thrust to the floor still fresh and she could still feel the liquid encasing her all over and dragging her back. That was barely a minute ago and somehow, she’d retreated back 11 years!

She let go of Fitz and looked at him, leaning her head to the side.

“Could I get a drink of water?” she tried to calm herself and Fitz nodded.

“Canteen?” he asked and she nodded as her reply. 

“Fitz, is...is it possible to be in...in two places at once?” she asked him, swallowing back as she looked down the familiar corridor she hadn’t been down in years. She reached out to touch the wall and that was real too.

“Have you been watching Doctor Who again?” Fitz smiled. “Jemma, you’re terrible. I thought you were going to go to sleep after that last episode.”

“Doctor who...” she whispered. “But is it possible in real life? What...what would the science be behind it?”

“If there was a worm hole or potentially some bend in the space time continuum then I imagine that theoretically it could be bu...”

“What about an alien artifact?” she chirped and Fitz stared at her, confused. “Would that be able to do it? If say, the host species wanted to get rid of a group of people.”

“Aliens? Simmons, are you feeling alright?” he asked and put a hand to her forehead.

“I’m...I’m not sure, Fitz,” she felt tears in her eyes as she looked around, desperately. “How did I get here?” 

“Look, here’s the canteen, I’ll get you that water and we can sit down for a bit,” he looked at her, completely baffled. 

“No, don’t go...” she reached out her hand to him. It was just a few days before that she’d done exactly the same.

“Maybe there is...” 

Three little words, not dissimilar to the three bigger words she was feeling in her heart towards him. He’d gone on that mission and she’d cried and cried desperately trying to hold it together. If he hadn’t come back...

And now, in a different time, Fitz would’ve thought she had left and stood him up. Or, he’d be pounding on the glass, what if he opened it too? Tried to get in to find her? Smashed the rock to pieces, only to find that she was no longer there?

She started to cry and Fitz hugged her once again, tighter than before.

“It’s okay...I’m here,” he said, leaning his head closer towards hers. “What’s wrong? You can tell me?”

“I...I can’t...you, you wouldn’t be...believe me,” Simmons sobbed with each word.

“You’re my best friend, of course I’m going to believe you,” Fitz smiled at her and Simmons let go, drying her eyes and sniffed.

“I’m...I...” she struggled - she didn’t even know how to explain it herself. “I...”

“Jemma Simmons?” came a familiar voice and Simmons looked round - her mouth gaping open and a smile breaking out.

There stood the short, squat man with his unmistakable suit and lanyard. 

“Koenig...” she said and ran towards him. “You’re here! How are you here?!”

“Hold on, Simmons, he doesn’t know. Let me do the talking,” Koenig looked at her and then smiled, over at Fitz. “My favourite niece. How have you been sweetheart?”   
“I...erm...” Simmons looked back at Fitz. Koenig clearly had a plan.

“You forgot we were meeting for lunch today, didn’t you?”

“Yes...yes I did...I’m sorry, Fitz. Erm...” 

“Nice to meet you, erm, sir...” Fitz nervously walked over and Koenig smiled warmly at him. “Leo Fitz. I didn’t know you had relatives here, Jemma?”

“I’ve been away for a while,” Koenig said to Fitz. “Seeing as you’re out early, do you want to get lunch now? I’m afraid the booking is only for two, sorry kid.”

“That’s okay,” Fitz smiled. “You’re alright though? Do you still want that water?” Fitz asked Simmons who did really want a drink but Koenig spoke up.

“Already brought some. You get your preparation skills from me,” he handed Simmons a water bottle and Simmons felt at ease. “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

“I’ll...I’ll see you soon, Fitz?” Simmons said tentatively and Fitz smiled and nodded. Simmons couldn’t help but go over to Fitz and hug him once again. She had no idea what was going on, and of course neither did he, but he was still Fitz. 

Fitz smiled as she broke off and Simmons smiled back at him as she walked back over to Koenig who smiled.

“Ah, young love...”

“What the hell is going on? How are you here too?! Did the stone get you too?” Simmons had a million and one questions.

“You sent me here. It sounds so confusing right now, but I’ll explain as soon as we get somewhere quieter. Let’s go to my apartment.” Koenig said and Simmons nodded as she followed him, taking another big glug of the water - she needed it.

The air outside smelt just as fresh as if it were real. Was it real? She had no idea. Simmons was about to speak but Koenig began the conversation.

“Before you say anything, let me explain what you told me and the rules. I am not a time traveller, I am a completely new person every time you meet me. My name is George, you’ll meet plenty of me over time. My timelines do not change so every version of me you come across knows the exact same rules, except for Bradley, he started this off.”

“Started what off? What do you mean, you’re not...?”

“Is this the first time you’ve done this?”

“Done what?!” Simmons grew increasingly frustrated.

“You know, ‘time travelled,’” he put his fingers up as quotations and Simmons looked at him with an open mouth. “By that face, it looks like you haven’t. Oh my God, how awesome! I get to be the first one!”

“The first one of what?!”

“We need to go back to my apartment and I can explain everything there properly. This is going to be such an awesome day! I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” George Koenig told her as they reached an apartment block, only 2 minutes from the academy.

“Well, this isn’t far?” Simmons commented.

“You wanted it to be as close as possible.” Koenig said and Simmons looked at him in confusion. What was he on about?! She just followed him, hoping he would be less cryptic once they were inside.

“These stairs keep me healthy,” Koenig jogged up them and reached the 3rd apartment and opened it with a gold key. Simmons looked around at everything, touching the walls which were real too. George Koenig shut the door behind them and offered Simmons a seat.

“No, I don’t want to sit down. I want you to explain...” 

“Okay, I understand. Right, I don’t know all the science words, I tried to learn but it’s hard to pick them up, but here we go,” Koenig pulled over a whiteboard on wheels and some markers. “Okay, your mind is from May 2015 am I right?” he asked and she nodded. “Okay, so I’ll draw a line and illustrate. This straight line here is your timeline except when you were swallowed by the kree rock, you went back in time to here, 2004. We haven’t really worked out what it is yet, but we know it takes you through time whereby you keep your same mind, but your body changes.”

“Well, how do I get back? I’m supposed to be going to dinner with Fitz, I can’t stand him up. Not after however long he was trying to ask me out?” Simmons queried but Koenig shook his head. “I...I can’t get back?”

“Not yet,” George Koenig explained. “When you were dragged into the rock, your timeline was changed. You now know that you’re going to be in the rock, so if everything continued along the timeline we are in now...” Koenig drew another line starting at 2004 above the other. “Your outcome would be very different. It’s called the butterfly effect, it’s whereby y...”

“I know what that is. Whereby the vibrations from the wings of a butterfly can lead to a hurricane somewhere else due to the slight change in vibration.”

“Exactly. So now, even if you do everything exactly the same as you did before, which is virtually impossible, you may not end up in the same place and the erm...give me a moment...space...time...”

“Continuum?”

“Space time continuum collapses and you can’t get back the original state. It’s confusing, it took ages for us all to learn.”

“What do you mean all? Who taught you?”

“You did.”

“Me?! How could I teach you? I’m...have I? Have I been back in time?”

“Not yet, but you will. My timeline doesn’t change, like I said, but you could go back to any past where you’re still alive.”

“Well, probably not until my brain is developed,” Simmons considered the fact. “I couldn’t have the brain of a 27 year old in a baby’s body, I would implode! I...so, I travel through my own timeline and reach your creator, let’s say, from now, and I explain everything you’ve told me so your creator can tell you to tell me at this point now?” 

“Yeah,” George said simply but then considered it.

“Just like in the terminator films...” Simmons said and had to sit herself down. “But, how do I go back? What year was it that this started?”

“Ah, I know, it was...1999.”

“I would’ve been 12! But, I was quite smart for 12 so I suppose that wouldn’t be abnormal.” Simmons considered her 12 year old self - it was only 5 years ago from where she was now. “But, how do I get back? How do I time travel?”

“Well, actually, you don’t know how yet. Bradley hasn’t told us,” George explained. “You do find out, but you have to find out in this current timeline so by the time you time travel to 1999 you can tell Bradley.”

Simmons shook her head.

“This is so confusing! I have two PHDs and even I have a headache now!” she put her head in her hands. “So, I need to think of how to time travel, go back to 1999, find Bradley Koenig and tell him so he can create, whatever you are, so you can tell me when I arrive here about 20 minutes ago?”

Koenig nodded and Simmons groaned. 

“But what happens after 1999? Do I stay there and grow up? If my timeline is different, what do I do?”

“I can’t answer that either. There are certain things that Bradley kept from us to protect the future you. I guess you’ve got a lot of stuff to work out for yourself because you were completely set back then.”

Simmons sighed. 

“I’m so lost...I don’t even know where to start!”

“Well, if I were you, I’d start back at the academy. Sure, it may not be that advanced now, but where else are you going to find some of the best scientists to help you?” Koenig suggested and Simmons nodded.

“That is true. I’ve seen plenty of movies about this stuff, but the science behind it is always so flawed. You’d need to consider so many consequences of your actions, especially if there’s a butterfly effect like you or I said, I should probably see that film if it’s even out yet too and then of course there’s thoughts about if you tell people that you time travel and what would happen to me? Where would I end up if I mess with two timelines, like you said I have, instead of one?”

“I’m sorry, I wish I could help more, but I am just here as the messenger.”

“Hmmm, there must be a reason you don’t know because right now, I think you should be telling me everything that I know, so why wouldn’t I tell you...?” Simmons considered it. “There’s so many unknowns...”

“You can figure it out,” George Koenig smiled. “And you’re welcome to call me any time and use my apartment.” 

“So, I’m supposed to just go back to the academy and work on this as if everything is normal?” Simmons asked and sighed, answering her own question. “Thank you. For helping me and I will certainly be calling you plenty.” 

“Good luck Simmons, you will get there. There’s proof right here that you do,” George smiled and pointed to himself. Simmons smiled and nodded. 

“Yeah,” she said and breathed out heavily. “Is there anything else you need to tell me?” 

“Nothing, everything I know, you know, oh! Except...” Koenig said and went over to his desk. “I was to book this in the morning.” 

He handed Simmons a piece of paper and she looked up at him.

“Dinner reservations? For whom?” 

“I think you know,” he smiled at Simmons.

“Fitz...” 

“You don’t have to do this alone, as I understand, engineers are meant to be quite good at these kinds of things. Time travel, not dinners,” George said and Simmons smiled warmly and nodded. 

“Thank you, thank you so much,” she said and George Koenig bid her farewell. 

Simmons left the apartment and breathed out once again - she’d have to take some medicine for her headache. Walking down the stairs she wondered how on earth she would break the news to Fitz that she had come from the future? She’d certainly need to drink some alcohol before to gather up her courage. 

She reached the outside once again and looked around at the very real world around her. Any little thing would change her whole future - a single step could could a vibration leading to a cataclysmic event. She could stop in front of someone and their life could change forever. She had awesome power and dire consequences could occur...

Now she knew how Skye felt. 

Simmons breathed out heavily and put her hands in her pockets. She wasn’t even wearing the same clothes she had transformed with - she was in her old clothes. All her stuff from over the last 11 years was gone. All the memories hadn’t happened, or who knows if they would happen?

Everything was different now...

But at least something was constant. Fitz was still in her life and she was going to dinner with him. Well, she’d have to ask him first, and make sure that she was no where near any types of alien rocks when doing so. 

If anyone knew about time travel or what to do, it would be him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitzsimmons finally get their dinner, but it's in a different timeline and Simmons has more pressing matters on her mind than romance this time round. How will a 2004 Fitz react to a Simmons from 2015?

2004

“Maybe I could...” Simmons shut her eyes and tried to think back to 1999 in the hope it would take her there. But she reopened them and was in the same place. Well, that clearly wasn’t how to time travel.

Simmons spent the afternoon in her room - looking through countless articles on the internet, searching for plots of films based on time-travel and half understanding the physics behind it. She seemed no further to knowing a practical way of traveling through time.

However, she decided to write down her experiences and feelings - at least then she could keep track of where and whom she was at each stage. She knew she’d come from 2015, she was in 2004 and she had to go back to 1999. Where she ended up in between was unknown to her. She had strange deja-vu moments, but with every action she took, she knew it would change things

She knew so much now - about the Avengers, the inhumans, HYDRA - the deaths that had been caused. To have all that responsibility - she could potentially prevent each one, but who knows what that would lead to. How many other lives would change because of that?

She wasn’t aware of thinking dinner was a good idea at that point, but the more she thought about it, she wanted - even if it was a different timeline - to give Fitz what he deserved. She wrote down in her notes everything she needed to remember to tell herself for 1999. It was all very confusing to her, but writing seemed to help collate her thoughts.

However, she then realised the time was half 5. Their reservations were for 7. She hadn’t even told Fitz yet. If he would even say yes. She had to make sure to give him an offer he couldn’t refuse. She needed this, and even if he didn’t know it yet, he needed it too.

Simmons opened her wardrobe with nostalgia at her old clothes. Some of the things she used to wear repulsed her! She screwed up her nose at the baggy jumpers. She searched through until she found a dress. It wasn’t even that nice! What was she thinking.

She settled for the blue dress and looked at her longer hair in the mirror. She much preferred her new shorter style as it was easier to handle but she instead put up her hair into a half up-do and applied her makeup. 

How would she even break the news? What would be the consequences of that?

She breathed out heavily and shut her eyes. 

“Come on, get it together, Jemma,” she said and shook her head, looking into her mirror. She should have been doing this 11 years later, but at least she was doing it now. 

She looked around for her favourite pair of shoes that she’d sadly parted with in 2008. They were so comfortable and she hadn’t found a pair quite like them again. She smiled to herself. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all? However, she knew that she wouldn’t be staying forever. She would be going back to 1999 no matter what, and from there? Who knew. She just had to find a way to do it.  
She locked up the door of her room and walked towards the boys dorms where Fitz’s room was. Here she was making the first move, hoping that he was there. If he wasn’t, then surely herself in 1999 wouldn’t allow her to make a fool of herself like this?

Simmons reached the door and knocked, waiting for a reply. There wasn’t one so she knocked again, louder and then heard the sound of the bathroom door shutting from inside The door opened.

“Simmons? I was in the shower?” Fitz said with his hair wet and straighter and hiding behind the door.

“Are you wearing clothes?” Simmons smiled to herself.

“I’m wearing a towel, why is that important? Why didn’t you text ahead?”

“Oh...yes...I forgot we did that,” Simmons bit her lip slightly. “Can I come in?”

“Not right now. Why are you all dressed up?”

“Dinner,” she said the single word. No wonder Fitz had trouble asking her out. Being in the same situation was daunting - turning a friendship into something more. “We erm...we’re going to dinner.”

“In the canteen? You’re dressed like that?”

“No! Not the canteen, we’re going out to dinner. Some...” she sighed to herself. “Someplace nice...”

“Okay, pizza hut or...?”

“No! Fitz just let me in,” Simmons said and pushed open the door and Fitz pulled his towel closer to him. Simmons smiled to herself and noted down that maybe she should hide his towels the day before if she ever came back to this time.

“Jemma,” Fitz moaned. “Let me put something on. Close your eyes” 

He said and Simmons sat down on his bed keeping one eye open with a smile on her face. Damn, she really wished she’d gone out with him sooner, or rather, later. 

Fitz slipped on some jeans and grabbed a shirt from the wardrobe.

“Barging in on me like that, don’t you know about privacy?” Fitz complained and Simmons smiled at him. She noticed him looking her up and down and hoped he could see the same look in her eyes. “You look really nice. Where are we going for dinner?”

“Bella’s,” Simmons said.

“Wow, you did mean someplace nice...” Fitz replied and then leant his head to the side. “Is this...dinner or, dinner?”

“It’s a bit of both,” Simmons confessed and stood up. “I need to talk to you about something. I just thought maybe we could do it somewhere else.”

Fitz looked at her confused but then shrugged and nodded.

“I’ll wear a tie then,” he said and placed one around his neck and did it up and Simmons smiled, noticing even more how handsome he looked, despite being 11 years younger than when she last saw him. 

Their taxi arrived and Simmons remained quiet, letting Fitz do the talking as her mind thought about how to explain what had happened. How much could she tell him about the future if he asked? All the regrets she had, all the bad things she’d done with Skye and Ward...his brain damage?

“We’re here,” Fitz said and before Simmons could do anything, he paid for the taxi. “Come on.” He got out of his side and went round to open the door for Simmons. It made her heart melt a bit and she smiled warmly at him. They thanked the driver and got out, walking into the restaurant. It was a beautiful place, very classy.

“Hello, we have a reservation under Simmons?” she said to the waiter. 

“Oh yes, the one you wanted in the corner and you ordered the extra wine for the table as well?” the man asked and Simmons, thinking that was a very good idea, nodded. She must write that one down too to tell her 1999 self. 

The restaurant was quite full but their table was tucked away quietly. The murmurs of the voices were low enough but the music was soothing - piano. It would be loud enough to cover their voices, but quiet enough so Fitz could still hear her.  
 “Why did you order extra wine?” Fitz asked.

“We’re going to need it,” Simmons said and sat down. Fitz sat down opposite her at the small wooden table and the waiter poured them each a glass of white wine. Simmons started to drink it quickly, shutting her eyes as Fitz took a sip, looking at her warily.

“Slow down, we’ve just got here,” he put his hand to hers to lower the glass. She breathed out and nodded. “Jemma? Is everything alright?”

“Dutch courage,” she said.

“For what? Oh my God, if you were going to confess your undying love for me, then you should’ve at least let me order first,” Fitz grinned and laughed to himself. He stopped as he saw Simmons’s face was serious. “You’re not, are you?”

“I...erm...” she began but at that point, saved by the waiter, he came over.

“Hello, how are you both today? Have you chosen your starters?”

“Can we have a minute?” Fitz said and the waiter nodded. 

“No, I’m ready now, let’s order now,” she replied. “I’ll have the mini ciabatta...”

“Okay, and for you sir?”

“Erm...I’ll have...” Fitz didn’t take his eyes off Simmons. “The same then.” 

“Okay, will be with you soon,” the waiter smiled and Fitz began talking.

“Jemma? What? Do you have feelings for me?”

“Fitz, there’s something big that I need to tell you, and...that’s part of it. I...” she reached for the wine but Fitz stopped her.

“Don’t, I need to hear you say it sober,” he said and kept a hand on hers.

“I...I’ve travelled through time. I’m from 2015...”

Fitz stared at her and his mouth bent into a smile and he laughed.

“Yeah, good one. Are there hover-boards and flying cars there too?”

“No, Fitz, I’m being serious...” Simmons told him. “I’m...I’m not, me. I’m 27 years old me. We’re...we’re agents who work for S.H.I.E.L.D. under Phil Coulson.”

“Fury’s right hand man? No...come on, Simmons, you’re scaring me. Just tell me the truth?”

“This is the truth! I was sucked into this alien stone and it took me back to this afternoon. I don’t know why, but that guy who I said was my uncle is actually meant to be a constant in each timeline I live in. Except, I created this all to happen in 1999 but I haven’t been there yet.”

“Jemma, stop it. Look, we should just leave this meal and go to the doctor or something. Maybe you hurt yourself and banged your head along the...”

“Has Marty McFly come in yet? Who would book under that name?” a waitress and waiter walked past and Fitz looked over. Of course, she would’ve planted that. He turned back to Simmons.

“I...I must have done that. We were just talking about it...”

Fitz stared at her open mouthed as their starters came. Simmons thanked the waiter on behalf of them both.

“Jemma, I...what the hell is going on?”

“I told you...Fitz, I’ve come back in time from 2015 and I need your help to get back...”

Fitz took a huge glug of the wine and gulped it down and Simmons watched him. He started to then nervously eat the starter.

“I have no idea what just happened but this is insane...well, tell me more things that are going to happen then? Or that are happening?”

“Well, I...can’t remember what happened today. It was 11 years ago.”

“Okay, erm...we’re meant to be getting our assignments back on that kinetics project. Do you remember the results?”

“I...yes, yes I do. I got 98.2 and you got 97.4 and you were annoyed at me because I got higher than you even though it’s more your area of expertise,” Simmons said and Fitz shook his head.

“No, of course I would’ve beaten you in it. No offense, but that is my area of expertise.”

“Your exact words, I think, were, ‘biochemistry is just full of long words made up by old men in labs who...”

“...think they can just string a bunch of letters together to make fancy words. I did think of that joke! Which doesn’t sound half as cool as when you say it.”

“Yes, it was hilarious,” Simmons said flatly and rolled her eyes and Fitz stared at her.

“You’re really back from the future?”

Simmons leant forward and held Fitz’s hand.

“I am...and I don’t know how to get back. I need you to help me, Fitz. You’re the only one who I trust enough to know what to do. Well, other than Koenig.” 

“This is...I’m going to need more wine...”

“That’s why I ordered it in advance,” Simmons said and poured out another glass for Fitz as she began to elaborate. 

The night continued and they ate their food. Simmons, who wanted spaghetti, decided maybe it wasn’t a good idea for a first date settled on a carbonara and Fitz had a large pizza. 

“So, you’re telling me that HYDRA is inside S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

“It’s hard to believe, but yes, they are.”

“Well, you should out them! Go and tell Nick Fury and...”

“And what? They wouldn’t listen to a student! They’d send me off to some mental hospital and say I’m talking crazy. And even if I did say something, would we be able to handle and attack from HYDRA now? They had amazing technology Fitz. I worked undercover for them and they are so much more advanced than S.H.I.E.L.D....” 

“And Captain America comes back? That is...wow, I think my granddad still has the cards and...”

“I swear it’s true. And we end up in the field. You...you killed someone with a pipe!”

“No way! I did not kill someone!” Fitz said and then lowered his tone. “Did I?” Simmons nodded and Fitz smiled. “A bad guy, right?”

“Misunderstood rather than bad, I’d say,” Simmons finished her main meal. “It was apparently very impressive, I must say.”

“Wow,” Fitz smiled to himself. “And, what happened with us? If you have feelings for me then are we together or...?”

Simmons sighed and looked to the side. How could she explain all of that?

“I...I don’t know if I should say. I don’t know how much of this is affecting the rest of your life? It’s apparently like the butterfly effect. Whereby a...”

“Yeah, I know what it is,” Fitz said. “You’ve told me I kill someone with a pipe and about HYDRA? It can’t be more dramatic than that?”

“Believe me, it gets much worse,” Simmons sighed. “There was this man on our team, Grant Ward. He was a HYDRA sleeper agent. He threw us out of the bus.”

“The bus?! Why were we on a bus?”

“Erm, not a bus. It’s a plane, well, it was a plane. It got blown up but that doesn’t matter. Just what we called it. We were in a pod and ended up at the bottom of...of the ocean.”

“Oh my God, how did we get out? Did I get out?”

“Yeah, but you...we only had one lot of oxygen,” tears appeared in her eyes. “And you made me take it and told me you had feelings for me.”

“Well, that’s bad timing...”

“Yeah, and I, I had no idea what to say! I thought you were going to die but, I pulled you up to the surface and we got rescued by Nick Fury.”

“We met Nick Fury?!” Fitz almost spit out his wine and Simmons smiled.

“Several times, but you...you had brain damage. You couldn’t really talk and you were in a coma...” she swallowed back. “You wanted me to help you but you were worse...I made you worse...” she struggled. The memories came back and she sniffed. “I left you at the base with our team and went undercover for HYDRA and you thought I didn’t care...” 

“You left?”

“I’m so sorry,” she felt for Fitz’s hands. “I regret it but you needed to get well...” 

“But you came back?”

“Yeah, I did. But we didn’t get on. You didn’t want anything to do with me, you blamed me. And...I didn’t think we would ever be friends again. And then there was this whole thing with Skye and the Inhumans and...”

“Inhumans?”

“Mutant type people but that’s another story. Then there was the other S.H.I.E.L.D that tried to take over and we started to resolve our friendship and...”

“Another...hold on. There are mutants, and a HYDRA in S.H.I.E.L.D and another S.H.I.E.L.D. inside S.H.I.E.L.D?! The future sounds terrifying. Which S.H.I.E.L.D are we?”

“The real one, but Fitz...” Simmons looked into his eyes. “You...were on a mission to fight the inhumans with the others. The man you killed with a pipe was inhuman and you came back. Then, you asked me out when we got back. We were going to get dinner and then the stupid rock turned into a liquid and it...it took me back to when I woke up in the lecture.”

“So, having dinner now is...”

“My way of giving you what you wanted...want, 11 years in the future. I just thought...” she sighed. 

“Well, you should tell your 1999 self that it’s a really good idea,” Fitz smiled at her and her heart fluttered a little.

“See! You’ve got the hang of it!” she smiled back at him. “Oh, Fitz...I don’t know what to do. Why I’m here? What I’m supposed to do...”

“This Koenig guy can’t tell you?”

“He doesn’t know. Apparently there are things I’m not meant to tell myself.”

Fitz shook his head and finished his wine.

“It’s insane,” he whispered slightly and Simmons looked around as the music changed. “Jemma, I’ve never seen you as anything else than my best friend. And now these feelings that I’m meant to have for you in the future, well, I don’t know if I’m going to feel the same way.”

“I...so much happened between us that you haven’t experienced. I’ve had 11 more years experience and it took me that long to realise how I felt. I understand,” Simmons smiled flatly, a sinking feeling in her heart.

“I mean you’re beautiful and I can’t imagine anyone else in my life but you but...you’re Simmons. You’re you and it’s me and...” Fitz couldn’t finish his sentence. 

“We don’t have to talk about that now,” Simmons said, remembering back to that conversation a few days ago. She couldn’t talk about it anyway - she wasn’t even talking to the same person. Yet, the feelings were still there. “I just want to know about the time travel. Do you think you can help me? There’s so much to consider and I can’t do it by myself.”

Fitz nodded instantly. 

“Do you really think I’d say no?” he said, softening his voice.

Simmons smiled and said a thank you in reply.  
The waiter came over and took their plates.

“How was the meal?” he asked and they both responded happily. “Do you want desert?”

“Am I going to regret it if I don’t get desert?” Fitz asked Simmons who shrugged.

“Probably,” she replied.

“In that case, yes,” Fitz told the waiter and ordered a piece of their chocolate cake which arrived promptly. 

Simmons, admittedly felt worried so decided against desert. Would she age age over the time spent here? How long would it take to understand time travel? How old would she be by the time she got to 1999? She’d have to ask Koenig and keep a track of the days. Every moment stuck in limbo in a different timeline was another moment of her life passing her by. 

“What is it?” Fitz asked her. Simmons met his eyes and leant her elbow on the table.

“I’m worried,” she told him. “There’s so much...the concept it virtually impossible and yet, here I am. It’s mind blowing and I don’t even know where to start. These...alien artifacts terrify me and go against everything I know to be true. How do I work out what to do when I don’t even know what we are we dealing with?” 

“You say this rock brought you here? Maybe you need to find it and that’ll take you back in time?”

“It was on Robert Gonzalez’s ship called the Iliad when we found it?”

“THE Robert Gonzalez?!” Fitz almost dropped the piece of cake on his spoon. “We met him?!”

“He’s actually not as nice as you’d think,” Simmons replied and Fitz resumed eating the cake. “Yeah, if we can find that ship then...then maybe...”

“But we need to do some research because messing with something like this is going to have consequences.”

Simmons nodded and Fitz held out his spoon to her.

“If you insist,” she said and took it, having some cake.

“Is this dinner what you expected it to be?” Fitz asked her, changing the topic to ease her.

“Without the conversations about time travel, I’d say so,” she nodded and Fitz reached over to her and wiped the side of her mouth.

“You had cake there,” he said and she began to eat more and he fidgeted a little in his seat before speaking again. “So, have we kissed in the future?” Simmons looked up with just her eyes and smiled. 

“We haven’t yet. Why do you ask?”  
“I think it’s the wine talking, we did have a lot,” Fitz indicated the two empty bottles. Simmons handed the spoon back to Fitz. “If we had then you could tell me what it would be like. So I had 11 years to improve.”

“I don’t think it works like that, not that you’d need improvement, I’m sure,” Simmons told him but kind of wished she knew. If she kissed him now, he could quite easily draw back and things would become even more awkward. She couldn’t bear to lose him again.

Shortly after, the pair decided to head home and after much insistence, Simmons paid for half of the meal and Fitz paid for their taxi back. She didn’t want the night to end and she was terrified about the concept of sleep. Where she would end up? What her dreams would be like? In which reality?

“I don’t...know whether there are rules about sleeping,” Simmons said to a slightly tipsy Fitz as they walked back towards her room.

“You have a bed?” Fitz suggested.

“But, what the time travel changes sleep or is affected by it?” she wondered. “I...I don’t suppose you...want to...”

“Stay?” Fitz asked her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Not for...those reasons. Just to make sure nothing happens,” she smiled at him. “Please.”

Fitz shrugged and then nodded in reply and Simmons opened her bedroom door. 

“Bit premature for a first date. I’m a gentleman,” he said and sat down on her bed, leaning back. Simmons took her hair down and her shoes and joined him - leaning back. The two looked up at her ceiling.

“We have so many good times, as well as the bad. Memories, we haven’t even made yet that are going to make us much closer friends,” Simmons told him. She felt Fitz’s hand on hers and she held it tightly. “I don’t even know whether we’re going to experience them in the same way now. Everything’s changed and I have no idea what I’m meant to do with this. I could change the world with what I know but all I want is to go home,” she sniffed and Fitz saw she was crying. “Can...can you just hold me for a while?”

“Yeah,” Fitz replied and shuffled up the bed and took Simmons into his arms as she leant on his chest. He brushed her hair from over her face. “You should try to get some sleep, Jemma. I’m here.” She looked up at him, keeping her head rested on his chest. 

“I’m sorry I’ve put this all on you. It’s so much to take in.”

“What are friends for?” Fitz smiled and Simmons nodded as she curled her legs up closer to Fitz’s and shut her eyes which felt extremely relaxing. She didn’t know where she would wake up in the morning, but she did know that Fitz would protect her. She’d be safe with him, that was true. She heard him snoring lightly and looked up to see he had fallen asleep before her and smiled to herself. 

“Too much wine was probably a good thing,” she said under her breath and then shut her eyes once more and fell asleep on top of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitzsimmons have plenty to figure out. So many unanswered questions about the concept of time travel and whether they'll ever be able to re-meet in the future. Simmons is growing more and more attached to staying with Fitz in 2004 but she knows she has to leave. Will these two ever be together?!

2004

Jemma awoke with a start that morning and found arms wrapped around her waist. She looked up and saw Fitz spooning her, still asleep. It comforted her for a moment, before she realised where she was.

She looked around again at her University room and reached for the phone next to her. October 21st 2004. Phew - she hadn’t time travelled over night. 

It was then she noticed the drool on her right shoulder and pulled herself away which woke a sleepy Fitz.

“Morning,” she said and he smiled to himself in a dream state.

“Morning Je...wait...which Jemma are you?”

“Still future Jemma,” she said and turned around on the bed to face Fitz. “You remember what happened last night?”

“Time travelling? Yes, how could I forget,” Fitz noticed his hands were around her waist and let go. “Did you sleep okay?”

“As if everything was normal,” she sat up in bed, still in her dress from last night. “My head hurts.”

“I feel fine,” Fitz sat up next to her. “We still have classes but do you want to skip them? Do some research on this rock thing?”

Simmons nodded and stood up. 

“We need to go see Koenig. There’s a few things I want to ask him.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Fitz told her and got up. “I’ll meet you in the canteen in about half an hour?”

“Yeah, sure,” Simmons smiled as Fitz picked up his shoes and put them on. As he walked past her she felt the urge to grab his hand as she had done before he went on the mission. He turned around and looked back. “Thank you,” she said to him and Fitz smiled and squeezed her hand in his.

“Any time,” he said and then laughed. “Get it? Because any...time...oh, never mind...” he said and walked out of the room and Simmons smiled to herself before taking to her notes to write down more information to remember. Plenty of wine was at the top of that list!

After changing into her most flattering of the least flattering clothing she owned, Simmons joined Fitz in the canteen for breakfast. He was sat down in the corner looking on his old laptop with food in front of him. Simmons decided to grab some toast and tea and joined him.

“Hi,” she said and he looked up, smiling before going back to his computer.  
“How’s your head?” he asked and she shrugged, drinking her tea.

“What are you doing?” 

“I’m running a scan to see if we can find the Iliad. You say it’s a ship somewhere in the ocean?”

“Well, more like an aircraft carrier,” she told him. 

“That narrows it down a bit more,” Fitz typed something in and then resumed breakfast. “What about this place? Afterlife? Couldn’t we go there and find out what the inhumans know about it?”

“Mm, no,” Simmons said after some toast. “Their leader does not like S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. She’s the one who killed Gonzalez. She had eternal youth powers and a HYDRA agent who ended up taking all her organs to find eternal youth himself. S.H.I.E.L.D. took Skye, her daughter, to protect her from HYDRA and from her parents. Skye’s actually one of our best friends now. She can cause earthquakes.”

“Well that sounds...”

“Don’t make a pun,” Simmons pointed and smiled at him and Fitz closed his mouth as his computer beeped. 

“Got it. Somewhere in the middle of the Arctic Ocean,” he said. “How the hell are we going to get there?”

“I don’t know,” Simmons sighed and shook her head. “If only we had May to pilot...”

“Another member of the team I assume,” Fitz finished his tea. “Didn’t you want sugar?” 

“Oh, I don’t have it anymore. Was putting on a little weight,” Simmons smiled and Fitz rolled his eyes. “Koenig is nice, you’ll like him.”

“But how comes he’s in two sets of timelines?” Fitz queried and Simmons shrugged, finishing her breakfast.

“I met at least three of them. They claim to all be brothers? But I reckon there’s more to it than that...”

Fitz and Simmons left the Academy, avoiding their classes, and went to Koenig’s apartment. He was more than happy to see them.

“How did you take the news? Badly? Supportive?” George Koenig asked Fitz who told him it was the latter. “You two look good together - I was told by Bradley that you’d be inseparable.”

“Yes, but George, I need to ask you a few more things. I know, you said you told me everything yesterday, but I need to clarify some stuff in my brain,” Simmons sat down on the couch and Fitz sat closely next to her. “How old am I in 1999?”

“That’s simple maths. If you’re 17 now then...”  
“No, I mean...how old am I? This me,” Simmons pointed to herself. “How old is my...mind?”

“You’re exactly the same age as you are now,” George said. “Well, give or take a day or two.”

“So, I’m meant to find a way within the next two days?!” Simmons looked at Fitz and Koenig sat down opposite.

“You haven’t found a way yet?! I thought you two were child geniuses...” he said but Fitzsimmons glared at him and he shut up. 

“We know we have to get to the Iliad to find the kree stone, if it’s even there, but that’s in the arctic circle,” Simmons said. “Without a pilot, we wouldn’t get close.” 

“It’s lucky that I was trained to be pilot then, isn’t it?” George smiled and Simmons gaped, open mouthed and laughed.

“I will certainly remember to write that down!” she said and grabbed Fitz’s arm and he put a hand on hers, smiling too. 

“But, what about the laws of this time travel thing? If you say that you’re protecting Simmons from certain things, then we still haven’t figured out why,” Fitz stated.    
“That is true. I don’t know why I came back to this time, where the rock is, if I can even use it to time travel and how to get different Koenigs in each timeline?! It’s like the grandfather paradox.”

“Grandfather paradox?” George looked at them confused and Fitz explained.

“Imagine someone goes back in time to kill themselves as a baby to prevent their birth. They wouldn’t be alive in the future to go back in time to kill themselves so they are still born. It’s a never ending cycle. So, Simmons, if she goes back in time to tell herself everything now she wouldn’t be going back in time to tell herself everything because she’d already know everything so therefore there wouldn’t be a need,” he said and George got up and paced, still confused. 

“Hold on. We did a mission once, we weren’t on it, but we were supposed to be looking for a Clairvoyant. Skye gave each member of the team half the information so the clairvoyant wouldn’t know who was after him.”

“That’s clever. Did we find him?” 

“He was actually a high ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with access to lots of files. He was on the mission with us! He was really HYDRA,” Simmons explained but before Fitz could reply she cut him off. “So, maybe, I keep some of the information to myself because if I tell George everything then certain things wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t need to tell you Fitz about my time-travelling because I’d already know where the rock was and so I wouldn’t need your tech...oh my God...” Simmons clasped a hand to her mouth. “It’s you! I needed you!”

“What?”  
“This is what this is all about! I needed you, Fitz to help me with all these things! I needed your technology, your knowledge, your...your support,” she looked into his blue eyes and smiled. “I couldn’t have done all this on my own. The grandfather paradox. I need your help to go back in time, but if myself in 1999 tells George everything then he still wouldn’t know it because I wouldn’t know it!” 

“That is mega confusing,” Koenig said. Fitz smiled from ear to ear, taking Simmons’s hands in his and linking fingers.

“You need me? You really do?” he said and Simmons nodded happily. “Jemma...” he said and then hugged her closely to him.

“This is all about you, Fitz,” she said and buried herself into his shoulder and felt happy tears in her eyes.

They then heard the sound of Koenig blowing his nose and looked up at him.

“Sorry,” he was crying. “It’s just so romantic.” 

The two broke away from the hug and Simmons got up. 

“Now, what we need to do is work out exactly what you are,” she said and Fitz got up too. George looked between them.

“What I am?”

“Yes, I’m sorry but you’re not human,” Simmons said. “How can you be if you’re in all these different timelines looking exactly the same? I’ve met some of your ‘brothers.’ Eric, Billy, Sam. If Bradley ‘made’ you then he must have got the idea from somewhere,” Simmons said and looked over at Fitz who smiled.

“It’s a good thing we’re here, Simmons. I assume I have to work this out without knowing what he is to start with. It can be like a guessing game and I’ll work out the solution at the very end and check if I’m right,” Fitz said. “I think I might just have an idea...” 

Simmons spent the afternoon writing more notes and Fitz on his laptop. Koenig was playing an old style video game and asked Simmons if she knew anything about it in the future. She however, didn’t, much to his disappointment.

“Jemma?” Fitz called her over around 11:30am. “There’s such a thing as a life model decoy. High ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents sometimes use them. They replicate the exact features of a person but they are actually androids. George, we might need to do a physical examination of you.”

“Oh God, there won’t be needles, will there?” 

“No needles,” Simmons said.

“I’ll need to get my equipment first,” Fitz told her. “I’ll have to go back to the academy to do so. Do you want me to pick us all up some lunch?”

“Yeah, that would be great. Thank you Fitz,” Simmons reached into her bag but Fitz protested.

“Nope, I’m paying for that. Not after last night when you wouldn’t let me,” Fitz smiled. “What sandwiches would you two like?”

“Well, I know what your favourite is,” Simmons smiled and Fitz looked at her quizzically. “Oh my God, you haven’t had it yet, have you? Fitz...okay, I’m going to write you a list and you need to get all of these ingredients.”

“Why?” Fitz looked at George who shrugged.

“This is going to be the best sandwich you’ve ever tasted,” Simmons smiled and handed it to Fitz who looked down at it. “Get enough for three people.”

“Buffalo Mozzarella? Proscuitto? Simmons, do you know how expensive this stuff is to buy?” 

“I promise you, it will be worth it,” she said and he muttered something about ‘regretting offering to pay’ and said goodbye to the two before walking out. 

“Aww, he’s a great guy,” Koenig said to Simmons who smiled and blushed. “I’m guessing the date went well?”

“Really well,” she said. “I just...feel sad, knowing I’ll have to leave him behind. Do you know if I ever get back to him in the future?” 

“I don’t, and I guess you don’t either?” George Koenig asked and Simmons shook her head. “I don’t know much about love but if you’re only allowed it for a little while then you should grab the chance while you can.”

“Who told you that?” Simmons asked him and George smiled. 

“Fortune cookie,” he said and she laughed to herself.

Fitz returned later with the ingredients and Simmons made her famous sandwiches for the three of them as Fitz examined George. Simmons smiled, watching him work and felt extremely happy seeing that Fitz enjoying the sandwich. 

“This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten, oh my God,” was his comment. “Please make these forever. What am I going to do without you?”

Fitz told Simmons he knew what Koenig was but decided best not to tell George Koenig. He told Simmons later as they walked back to the academy.

“He’s some type of android. By the looks of it, he’s built exactly the same as the other life model decoys. Quite advanced technology.”

“Could you replicate it?” Simmons asked him and Fitz shook his head.

“Not without the resources from somewhere like the Hub,” he said and put his hands in his pockets. “That’s not the issue. We know someone in the past makes them. I had a look up of Bradley Koenig. He isn’t actually a designer, just a model. Someone else made them and gave them to him.” 

“Who?” Simmons asked.

“You. Well I assume it was you,” Fitz said. “It was under the name of Doctor J. L. Fitzsimmons.”

“Oh, that’s not very inventive,” Simmons smiled, tucking some hair behind her ear. “But I like it.”

“But, I still need to work out how they are supposed to go through different timelines to meet you. Do you want to come to mine? I have all my equipment there so I can carry on?” Fitz asked her and Simmons nodded, following Fitz’s lead. 

The two didn’t chat much as Fitz worked on the issue and Simmons lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling collating her thoughts. Tomorrow was the day that she was due to go to find the Iliad. Heading back to 1999 to her twelve year old self where she wouldn’t even have Fitz with her. How on earth would she, at twelve years old, find Bradley Koenig and convince him to believe her? And where would she go from there? 

“There’s still so much to think about,” she sighed and Fitz looked over. “What am I even meant to do in 1999?”

“I don’t know, you’re the one who’s going there,” Fitz replied and then spun on his chair to face her. “We’ll research on Bradley, see what exactly to say to him and have everything in place beforehand. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

“But what if it isn’t?” Simmons sat up. “What...what if I can’t get back? I don’t...I don’t know if I should go.”

“But you do go. Simmons, you’ve already gone. There is proof that you are going to go tomorrow and somehow you’re going to...”

“I don’t want to leave you,” she cut in and looked down at her lap. “What if we never find each other in the future?” 

“We will find each other because I’m going to wait for you to come back. We should make a pact to find one another at a particular place on a particular day,” Fitz said.

“But what if...it’s going to be a whole different timeline that I return to. This rock forced me away from you once, I don’t want it to break us apart again. I couldn’t ask you to wait for me if...if you don’t know if I’m coming back.”

“Okay,” Fitz breathed out and beckoned Simmons closer to him. She got up off the bed and stood in front of him as he held out his hands to her. She took them in her own. “Jemma. I know, it’s so confusing and even I can’t get my head around it, but I swear. Whatever happens, I am going to find a way to make sure that I remember you and remember this. Once this simulation finishes and I work out how to get the LMDs into each different timeline with you then I will plant each one with the information to give to me about this event. So whatever happens, when you come back to 2015, we can meet up.” 

“Are you...are you sure that’s a good idea?” 

“I’m going to believe myself, don’t worry,” Fitz smiled and rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumb.

Simmons knelt down on the floor before Fitz and leant her head down on his knee. He tentatively put a hand on her hair and stroked it back. 

“I’m terrified,” her voice was muffled. Fitz breathed out and then saw the simulation was complete. It hadn’t worked and as Simmons looked up, Fitz shook his head. “Oh...” she leant back down again.

“It’s really close, but I’m missing something,” he told her and then felt damp on his knee. “Jemma, don’t cry, it’ll be okay.”

“Sorry,” she sniffed and leant away from him. “Maybe you could use the DNA from my tears to keep one of me in this reality.” 

Fitz smiled slightly to himself and then his eyes widened.

“DNA...DNA! Simmons! DNA!” he said and turned his chair around and started typing things in. “I know we don’t have a sample of George’s DNA right now but what if...what if we used your in him instead?!” 

“But he doesn’t have my DNA, he’s an android...”

“No, no, but...even if we used a little of your DNA and placed it into the androids...” Fitz began to explain his theory and Simmons listened closely - it might just work. His simulation was running in the background and it beeped shortly after. “That was quick, I guess all the data loading was the long part and...” Fitz inhaled a breath and laughed. “It’s done it! It’s worked! We can link the Koenigs to your time travel!”

“Oh my God!” 

“We did it! We actually did it!” Fitz laughed and stood up, pulling Simmons to her feet and hugged her. 

“I can’t believe it, this is such advanced science. We managed to do it!” and without even thinking, Simmons kissed Fitz on the lips. She stepped back, about to apologise but he leant forward and pulled her straight back to kiss her. “I thought you didn’t have feelings for me?” she broke away and looked up at him.

“Well, these last couple of days have changed things,” he told her, placing a hand up to her hair. “And if I’m not going to see you for 11 years, I just figured, maybe I should take that chance now?”

Simmons stared back, lost for words. Everything she wanted, she was going to have to leave behind all over again. It wouldn’t feel long for her, but for him, it would be half a lifetime...

“Yeah,” she eventually said. “Yeah, okay I mean if...if you think it’s a good idea.”

“Do you think it’s a good idea?”

“I asked you first!” she said and smiled. “It...probably isn’t.”

“Which means it definitely is,” Fitz said and initiated another kiss and Simmons wrapped her arms around him, kissing him much more deeply. He started moving back towards the bed and Simmons let herself lie down on it. 

“This is going to be our last night together,” she told him as Fitz lay above her, looking up into his blue eyes.

“I know so we’d better make it the best night we’ve ever had because neither of us know how much of a butterfly effect this is going to have.”

“Well, I have some butterflies in my stomach right now,” Simmons smiled and Fitz placed his nose against her.

“Puns? Now? After you told me not to make any?” he smiled and she nodded and kissed him. “You’re amazing, Jemma Simmons.”

“Not half as amazing as you Leo.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaving is inevitable. Simmons knows she has to go but doesn't want to. However, a few familiar faces pop up along the way. Simmons just hopes that somehow, the Fitz in this universe will find happiness, even if it's not meant to be with her...

Once again, it was morning, but it was the last morning that Simmons would be here. She woke up to see Fitz watching her with a smile on his face. She smiled back at him.

“What?”

“We did things,” he said and giggled childishly and she sighed to herself with a smile. “You’re a cougar.” 

“I am not! I’m still 17 in this body thank you very much. It’s just my mind that’s older,” Simmons said and smiled. “I have to go soon, Fitz.”

“I know. I’ve managed to work out how you’re going to get to Bradley and what you need to say to him. Also where you might find the rock in 1999 for when you go back to 2015. You just need to learn all of that, which shouldn’t be too hard, and you should try to find a hacker to help you locate Bradley.”

“Right,” Simmons replied and snuggled closer to Fitz. He put an arm around her and she shut her eyes again. “I wish I could stay.”

“I know, baby girl,” he said and she looked up with a smile at the name. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, I like it,” she told him. “When are we going to Koenig’s?” 

“9, but before then, I’ve managed to authorise us to get aboard the Iliad for ‘experience’ under Commander Gonzalez. He was more than happy for us to visit him. Apparently he’s very interested in us.”

“I can imagine,” Simmons said and leant forward to kiss Fitz on the lips. “I had a wonderful night.”  
“So did I,” Fitz said, and pushed her hair back to the side. “Going to remember this forever. Well, if I can.” 

“I’m never going to see you again. Not this you, anyway. Promise me you’ll be happy?” 

“I can’t promise you that. I don’t know the future but I will try my best. Going to be hard without my best friend around,” Fitz rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. “I wonder why the rock brought you here. To this time?” 

“I wish I knew,” Simmons said and rolled over to stare at the ceiling too. 

The two remained in silence for a while but then it was time to go. Simmons reluctantly put on her clothes and went back to her room. She didn’t need many things, and decided to keep them here. She left a note on her desk to Fitz and the recipe to the sandwich as well. Teardrops splattered the paper she wrote on, smudging the writing, but she knew he would still understand.

Gathering herself together, she met Fitz for a final breakfast and the two left once again to go to Koenigs.

“Hey, by the way, we got the results of the kinetics project,” Fitz told her. “You were right. You got 98.2 and I got 97.4. I mean, come on, how did you do that?”

“Preparation is key, Fitz,” Jemma smiled. “I revised for ages, just because you were being so smug about it. Wanted to see the look on your face when I did better.”

“Yeah, well, I’m exceedingly disappointed,” Fitz said and then smiled as they reached the apartment. 

George Koenig opened the door as usual.

“Ready to go?” he asked. “I’ve packed a few things and the jet isn’t far.” 

“Yeah, I think so,” Fitz nodded and Simmons smiled flatly.

Koenig had a car and drove them towards an airport hangar where there was a small quinjet waiting. He started talking about how he had been preparing for this moment all his life and how the video games had really helped. Fitzsimmons just ended up staying quiet - holding hands in the back of the car, unable to say any words to one another. They would hurt too much.

The three exited the car and strapped into the jet. 

“Is this as big as our bus would be?” Fitz asked.

“The bus is much bigger than this,” Simmons smiled. “It had two whole floors and we had a lab that took up almost half of the downstairs! Our bunks were quite nice too.”

“Can’t believe we actually went into the field. On a plane,” Fitz smiled to himself. “Were we good at combat?”

“We...weren’t exactly trained, but we improvised,” Simmons stated. “I still remember our first time in the field. Well, technically we weren’t there for very long. You created this gun with a form of dendrotoxin that caused instant paralysis. You insisted on calling it the ‘night-night’ gun but then changed it to ICERs.”

“ICERs, they sound cool...”

“Oh Fitz! Enough with the puns,” Simmons laughed and nudged him. Fitz smiled and held her hand again as they rose into the air with Koenig piloting them towards the Iliad.

After an hour or so, they landed on the ship with Robert Gonzalez more than happy to meet them. Simmons noticed he still had his leg, and felt bad for judging him based on his prior or later attitudes. 

“Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons, it’s an honor to meet you both. I’ve heard so much about you,” he shook their hands and Fitz seemed completely star struck. “Come with me. I’ll show you around the labs.”

“We...yeah, okay, sir,” Simmons said. “Erm, this is our pilot. George Koenig. He’s going to come with us.” 

“Okay, good to meet you,” Gonzalez said and shook George’s hand. He too seemed just as star-strucked as Fitz and followed happily, looking around at the aircraft carrier. 

Simmons hadn’t been there before and she was shocked at how large it was. She whispered to Fitz, stating that he had been there once and where he’d impaled the inhuman he’d killed. Fitz just grinned to himself. 

“Here are the labs, I’m afraid I have some business to attend to but one of our engineers can show you around. Agent Mackenzie?” 

Simmons gasped as she saw a younger Mack stood in front of them. He wasn’t nearly as well built as when they’d met them in the future and quite frankly looked quite odd with the same face on a younger body. 

“Hi, call me Mack,” Mack said and held out his hand and Fitz smiled and shook it. Simmons did the same. “Do you want to follow me?”

“Sure,” Simmons said but held Fitz back. “He’s on our team. He looked like a body builder!”

“This guy?”

“You were great friends,” Simmons said and Fitz nodded as they walked along.

Mack started to talk to Fitz about engineering as they explored the ship and Simmons spoke to George.

“Can’t believe I have to go leave so soon,” Simmons sighed. 

“It’s been wonderful knowing you. I know my brothers are going to love you when they meet you,” George told her and she smiled.  
“Thank you, for all your help. What will you do once I go?”

“I have other orders,” Koenig said. “From you. To look after Fitz.” Simmons breathed out.

“Please do,” Simmons said and he nodded. “I’m going to miss him.”

“He’ll miss you more,” Koenig told her. “When do we execute the plan?”

“Once you have him on your own,” Simmons said. “Erm...Fitz...I just need the loo. I’ll catch you up.”

“Oh, actually I think I need to go too. Where are they?” Fitz asked and Mack pointed down the corridor. “We’ll meet you back at the lab.”

“Okay, sure. Staying with me, George?” Mack asked and George nodded and smiled at Simmons. 

“See ya,” he said and waved and Simmons smiled before walking along with Fitz. George kept Mack busy talking and once they were out of sight, Fitzsimmons walked hastily towards the cargo hold of the ship.

“So, we’re going to just pretend that you ‘fell’ overboard?”

“Yeah, it could happen,” Simmons said. “You need to work on being heartbroken.”

“Won’t be difficult,” Fitz muttered and Simmons looked down as they reached the hold. Fitz had a device that unlocked it and they entered, seeing the rock encased in glass. “Whoa...”

Simmons breathed in quickly at the sight of it. She could still feel it pulling her back and as she walked closer to it, it turned to liquid and splashed against the cage. She turned back and looked at Fitz who had tears already running down his cheeks.

She ran to him and he held her in his arms. This couldn’t be goodbye again?

“I’m going to miss you so much...” Fitz whispered and Simmons nodded.

“You’re not even going to remember me. Or this...”

“I know but in this version of the universe, I will,” Fitz said and Simmons cried into him. “Couldn’t forget you...”

She looked up and kissed him all over his face, like back at the bottom of the ocean, making sure not to miss his mouth this time. She kissed and kissed him again. 

“I can’t...I can’t go...”

“You do, you have to,” Fitz held her away and put a hand to her cheek. “I’m sorry, but you do.”

She struggled a sob and walked away from him.

“You have...have to stand back,” she said and Fitz nodded and dried his eyes on his sleeve. “I can’t...I can’t even say goodbye...”

“Don’t. You’re going to see me again. Just because I won’t see you, doesn’t change things. We will be together but just...maybe not in this lifetime. And, not in the one you were in before, but in one of them. We will be. We have to be...” 

Simmons nodded and stood in front of the glass case before opening the door with her shaking hands and stepped inside. The rock was directly behind her and solid. She shut the door and Fitz walked up to her.

Quarantined just like when she had the Chitauri virus. So close to him, but still so far...

She placed her hand onto the glass and Fitz placed his up to hers. She cried and cried but he couldn’t comfort her. She so desperately wanted his touch. This was the third time she’d left him. First, for HYDRA, second in 2015 and now. The damage she was doing to him broke her heart every time, but she had to do this. She didn’t belong here.

A groaning came from inside the case and the rock turned to liquid. Fitz jumped as it swallowed her whole and Simmons cries faded. It turned back into stone and Simmons was gone once again. She wouldn’t make it to this future...

 

1999

Simmons awoke with a start to find she was already on a plane. She looked around seeing her older classmates excited for their first trip to the USA. They were all around 16 but Simmons was only 12. In her body. She looked down at her dorky clothes and shoes and in the window at her younger reflection. 

“Put your hands up if you want food,” their teacher, Mrs Black said and everyone put their hands up. Simmons who wasn’t feeling at all hungry kept her hand down. “Are you okay Jemma? What’s wrong?”

“I...I...” she couldn’t help it and burst into tears. 

“Aww, are you feeling homesick? It’s okay,” the teacher told her. “Lucy, can you look after Jemma please?”

“I just need some...some air. I want to go to the bathroom,” Simmons said and got up and out of her seat, feeling so much shorter - not even 5 foot! A few ‘aww’s’ were given as she walked along and made her way to the bathroom on the plane. An air-stewardess ruffled her hair as she walked past.

Simmons locked herself in and looked in the mirror. She really was all alone.

“Get it together, Jemma...” she noticed her voice was much higher. “Focus, it’s okay...it’s alright.”

“Jemma? Are you okay?” she heard Lucy’s voice. Lucy was a girl much older than her who had been given the task of ‘baby-sitting.’ Jemma didn’t really like her much but was grateful for her concern.   
“Yes! Just one moment!” she said and pretended to flush the toilet and washed her hands before coming out. “I’m fine.”

“Good because they’re bringing the food round,” Lucy said and Jemma nodded and sat back down. 

Their trip was to Los Angeles to see Hollywood. The rock certainly had good judgment - first taking her to Fitz and then to America? She didn’t even need to get a flight. However, she did need to work out where to find Bradley and that would take some time on its own. 

“Oh my God, that guy is so cute,” the pair of girls in front of her turned around to talk to Lucy. They pointed over to a seat not far in front of them and Simmons looked too. She gasped a little, recognising the man. 

Miles Lydon - Skye’s ex-boyfriend from the rising tide. He would only be teenager at that point but he was one of the best hackers in the world. Simmons smiled to herself. At least she knew where to start.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter :p this one is more of a bridge chapter - don't worry :D thanks so much for all the support so far!

As the group left the plane and collected their luggage, Simmons noticed Lydon stood close by waiting for his. She was much smaller than the rest of the girls and easily snuck off to talk to him.

“Excuse me?” she said, wishing her voice was more grown up - how would he ever take her seriously? “Miles?”

“Yes?” Miles looked down at her. He was around the same height as when they’d met him before but towered over the tiny Simmons.

“One of my friends likes you,” Simmons said. “Are you staying in a hotel? She’d like to meet up with you.”

“Which one?” Miles smiled and Simmons pointed to Lucy, who was very pretty. “I don’t really have a hotel. You can tell her that if she wants to meet me, we’d have to meet where you guys are staying.”

“We’re staying at the Grand Hotel.” Simmons explained. “Be there around 10pm.”

“Aren’t you organised for a little girl?” Miles smiled and Simmons folded her arms.

“I may be little but I have several PHDs.”

“Oh yeah? What does PHD stand for?” 

“Doctor of Philosophy. What do you think it stands for?” Simmons told him.

Miles smiled and picked up his bag as it came round. 

“I’ll see her at 10:15. But that’ll be way after your bedtime,”

“You’d be surprised,” Simmons smiled and then turned around and walked away.

Her group got a bus to their hotel and Simmons was surprised at how familiar everything seemed. She remembered not enjoying the trip the previous time because she was left isolated by the older girls. When they weren’t out at different attractions, she spent most of the time in her room reading up on advanced biochemistry. It was a lonely time for her being the only 12 year old super-genius.

At dinner, she felt just as isolated. This time, not because she was 12, but because she was 10 years older than all of the girls. She forgot how fickle and cruel teenage girls could be. No wonder her main friend was a boy with a similar mind to her.

She found it ridiculous, hearing them all hark on about being in love and one of the girls bragging about how she was going to elope with her boyfriend of four weeks.

“That’s not love,” she muttered under her breath, but the girls surrounding heard her.

“Did you say something, Jemma?” Lucy asked and she looked up.

“You’ve only been with him for four weeks! That’s barely any time at all, I bet you don’t even know anything about each other,” Jemma continued her meal.

“And what would you know about love? You’re only 12,” another girl called Sarah said and the rest laughed. “Have you ever been in love, Jemma?”

“Yeah, with her barbie dolls,” another girl called Hannah said and they all laughed. Simmons rolled her eyes and kept quiet during their conversation, considering what she was planning for tonight instead. She couldn’t be dealing with little immature girls. She really wished Fitz was here. Where would he even be? Probably somewhere at school in Scotland. 

Dinner was shortly over and everyone retired to their rooms - of course, the girls weren’t planning to sleep that early and spent a long time chatting. They barely noticed when Simmons crept out of the door and left just before 10. She walked towards the lobby and saw Miles waiting outside. She beckoned him inside. 

“You again?” he said. “Where’s your friend?”

“I’ll take you to her,” Simmons told him and Miles looked frustrated but followed. If he was this trusting of a little girl then no wonder he’d been so taken with Skye. She’d noticed a door leading to the hotel’s store-room and checked to see if it was locked. Luckily, noticing it wasn’t, she pushed it and led Miles inside. 

“Are they really that strict that I ca...” Miles began but Simmons stood in front of the door.

“She’s not coming,” she told him and Miles looked at her speechlessly. “I’m the one who needs to see you.”

“Wh...no...I’m not a paedophile! Whatever crush you have you...”

“I don’t need you for that! My God you only think of one thing! I know you’re good at computer hacking and I need you to find someone for me.”  
“Who? The backstreet boys? I’m not helping out some obsessed little kid.”

“I’m not a little kid and no, I don’t want to find the backstreet boys. I’m...I’m looking for my father,” Simmons lied. “His name is Bradley Koenig and he’s my biological dad. I need you to track him down.”

“How did you know I could even hack?” Miles asked her and Simmons shrugged.

“I know things. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” she said. “Please? I know you can help me out.”

“And what am I getting in return for doing this? Because I’m not going to pretend I’m your boyfriend or something like that.”

“Well, I’m going to tell you about some really cool hacks you can do. You can hack into the Kremlin and get lots of embarrassing pictures of the prime minster, you’ll form this hack-tavist group called the ‘Rising Tide’ and I’ll also tell you about finding one of your best recruits.”

“Who?”

Simmons smiled to herself.

“Her name is Skye, or at least, that’s the name she goes by. Her real name is Mary Sue Poots. She’s a friend of mine. She’s not very old right now but in the future, she’s going to need you.”

“And how exactly do you know all this stuff?” Miles and asked and Simmons looked up at him. She hadn’t anticipated that question, and for her own safety, she couldn’t give away her identity. 

“You don’t need to know that,” she said. “Like I said, I know my stuff. So, are you going to help me?”

“Even if I did, I don’t want to get in trouble with the police if I’m associated with you.”

“You don’t even know my name, so you’re not going to be associated at all. All you’re doing, is helping a little girl find her father. And I wouldn’t come to you if I wasn’t desperate.” 

Simmons, who luckily was quite a cute child, gave him puppy dog eyes and Miles couldn’t really resist. She was considering turning on the waterworks, but she didn’t have to when Miles nodded.

“Thank you! Thank you!” Simmons laughed and Miles walked past her. “Can you have the information by tomorrow?” 

“When are you leaving the hotel?” Miles asked her, not turning around. 

“Around 10am.” 

“I’ll have it done by 9,” he said and Simmons smiled happily. “Seriously,” he turned around to face her. “How do you know all this stuff?”

“I...I have a gift,” Simmons said and smiled sweetly. “Thank you, honestly. It means so much to me.

“Like you said, you wouldn’t have asked if you weren’t desperate,” Miles replied and opened the door, leaving the hotel with a confused look on his face.

Simmons slept restlessly, recalling that some of the girls on the trip pulled pranks on her the last time they were there. This time, she was less naive and knew better. She’d like to pull a few of those pranks herself if she had the chance!

However, as morning arrived, Simmons ate breakfast quickly and waited for Miles to show. She headed towards her room around quarter to 9 to get her things and walked towards the hotel lobby, seeing him waiting there. 

“Did you find him?” Simmons asked and Miles handed her a brown folder. 

“Everything I could get is in here,” Miles told her. “He wasn’t an easy man to find. He works for S.H.I.E.L.D. and their division in San-Francisco which isn’t far from here. S.H.I.E.L.D is a government organisation - scary men in black suits.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you, thanks for finding this for me,” Simmons smiled and gave him a small hug around his middle. 

“You’re very sweet. What is your name by the way?” Miles asked and Simmons considered it. 

“Claire. Claire Voyant, goodbye Miles. It was nice to meet you and good luck,” she said, noting a similar pun made by Fitz not too long ago. She turned away and walked towards her room with the folder.

Bradley Koenig was a level 6 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who worked in advanced technology. Miles had also found his home address which was also located in San-Francisco. He wasn’t married and didn’t have any children. Miles had done well. 

At 10am, their group were going to take a bus to see the hollywood hills which wasn’t the direction Simmons needed. She knew that everyone would be looking for her and panicking, which is why she had to ensure she wasn’t seen or noticed. 

“Okay girls, let’s take a register!” their teacher said and called out everyone’s names. Jemma answered when hers came up. However, as everyone piled onto the bus, Simmons shuffled to the back of the group, her smaller height keeping her well hidden. She slowly edged towards the back of the bus and noticed the teacher climb on after all the girls were on. They didn’t even notice she was gone, but she knew they would shortly, which is why Simmons ran as fast as she could to the opposing bus stop and climbed on the first bus she could find. She had no idea where it was going, but as long as it went as far away from the group as possible, it would work.

Simmons breathed out as it started and smiled to herself. She was completely on her own and so far, she had done extremely well. Her time undercover at HYDRA had helped her with one thing - independence. 

The bus stopped at the bus station and Simmons got off, walking towards the toilets. She had to make sure she wasn’t spotted as she knew people would be looking for her so she needed to change her appearance. She tied her hair into a pony tail and took out the scissors from her pencil case and chopped off her hair. It was even shorter than when she was at HYDRA but at least no one would recognise her now. She put on her sunglasses too and walked out of the bathroom and onto a bus that was heading to San-Francisco.

That was the easy part of the plan - convincing Bradley would be far harder than finding him. Especially if he was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. However, her and Fitz had planned for this and she had some tricks up her sleeve. She knew it had worked judging by George’s presence in the future and if he had the same personality as all the other Koenigs, she would certainly be able to use that to her advantage.

The drive took nearly nine hours and it was a further hour to Bradley’s house to which she caught another bus, so naturally Simmons was tired by the time she got there. It was in an expensive looking neighbourhood and it was a huge house. She stood in front of it for a moment, collecting her thoughts and then walked up to the front door and knocked.

“Come on Koenig...be in,” Simmons whispered and then the door opened.

“Hello sweetheart, can I help you? Ooh are there more cookies? I’ll take two boxes,” Bradley Koenig, looking exactly the same as his counter-parts. Simmons smiled, feeling instantly at ease.

“I’m not actually here for cookies, Mr Koenig,” she told him. “I’m here because of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I really need you to help me.” 

“Who are you?” Bradley asked her.

“Dr Jemma Simmons - I’ve travelled back from the future. It sounds crazy, I know and you’re not going to believe me, but I’m telling you the truth.”

“Come in,” Bradley said and looked up and down the street before Jemma entered his house. “Look, I don’t know who sent you or who you are, but time travel is impossible and I work for S.H.I.E.L.D. - I know about impossible.”

“It is possible. I may look like a 12 year old girl but I’m from the year 2015. And I’ve met a lot of life model decoys that are built exactly upon you. George, Eric, Billy, Sam...” 

“I have characters by those names in my game,” he indicated his video game. “And I know what life model decoys are, but how do you know?” 

“I told you! I’ve met them!” Simmons insisted and walked into the main room and turned on the TV. “Look, there’s a baseball game on. I can tell you the exact score. 2-4 to the Lions.”

“It’s 1-1, that will never happen,” Bradley told her, folding his arms.

“And that video game you’re playing now I bet I can predict everything that happens in the next levels of your game and tell you how to win.”

“You can?” Bradley looked up, now curious. Yeah, Simmons knew how to get to him.  
“And, I can tell you some things about Star Wars too. The next film, the Phantom Menace is coming out soon and I can pretty much talk you through the film. The second one is Attack of the Clones and the final one is Revenge of the Sith, but that’s not out until 2005.”

“How did you know I was a star wars fan? My merchandise isn’t even out,” Koenig said and Simmons just looked at him with a smile as the sound of cheering came from the TV. The baseball game had ended - 2-4 to the Lions and Bradley Koenig’s mouth fell wide open. He turned around and faced Simmons. “You’re telling the truth? You’re really from the future.”

“Yes, I am, and I can tell you exactly what I need you to do to help me, we just need some LMDs and you need to follow every instruction I give you to the point. You won’t even have to do anything or even see me again after this, but our paths are meant to intertwine and I have proof of that because I met George Koenig in 2004 and he told me you’d helped me to create him. In this timeline, you’ve already helped me and I know you can and you will. It’s inevitable.”

“Oh my God, real life time travel. This is so exciting! Well, what do you need? I have access to resources and records, I’m even a trained pilot,” Bradley explained.

Simmons looked over at the man and then saw his familiar S.H.I.E.L.D. lanyard. She had one of those not too long ago. It had only been a couple of days but it felt like a whole other lifetime, which is really was. She only had one request for Bradley.

“Just please, please help me get home...”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice juicy long chapter AND I HAVE A NEW TWIST! This fic literally keeps on changing and for the better! :O Thanks for all the support so far!

1999

Simmons knew that people would be looking all over for her, but being from a secret organisation, she knew how to avoid detection. Her and Bradley Koenig needed to work fast so they travelled to a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base he was guarding where they could work alone. He was just as excited hearing about the future as Fitz was but whilst Fitz had been more interested in advances in technology, Bradley cared more about movies and video games advances. He was completely bowled over with the idea of an iPhone.

“But you have to keep all of this a secret,” Simmons said. “The fabric of time can be compromised if any of this gets out.”

“I understand. Don’t worry, I’m good at keeping secrets,” Bradley Koenig told her.

“Especially with regards to the butterfly effect. One little thing could change thousands and we don’t know what the consequences of that would be. For S.H.I.E.L.D. or for the whole world.”

“Don’t worry, I understand the severity,” Bradley explained as he drove into the base, checking in with a lanyard. They were inside a huge, yet empty, hanger. “But it’s so awesome. To be a part of something like this!”

“It sounds a lot better in concept,” Simmons sighed and then looked around as they exited the car. “Hold on...is this? The playground?”

“The playground? Are you sure you’re 27?”

“No, no this is...the old SSR reserve...” Simmons looked around at the familiar, yet derelict, base as they entered through a sliding door. The brick walls were as familiar as when she had been there last just a few days ago. Simmons ran along the corridor and stopped before the lab. There was nothing in it except memories that had never happened. She could almost imagine Fitz being sat in the spinning chair watching her work and her completely oblivious. “We used to be at this base! This is where...the rock was downstairs. It...it seems so...different...” It was 16 years in the future they would be here. “We met Billy Koenig here and he used to call it the playground. It was one of Fury’s secret bases.” 

“Why did you need to be in a secret base?” Bradley asked and Simmons shook her head.

“It’s a very, very long story,” she said and walked along with Bradley who led her to where their kitchen was - that hadn’t changed at all, except it was more empty. “So who stays here now?”

“No one right now, it’s still in development,” Bradley explained and Simmons sat down at the table, looking over at the familiar wings of the S.S.R. logo. “So, what do we need to do first?” Bradley asked her. “Oh, did you want food, anything to drink before we start?” 

“No, I’m alright,” Simmons said - not really feeling it. “Okay,” she breathed out. “Maybe some water, actually?” 

“Sure,” Koenig said and went to get a bottle with the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on it and handed it to Simmons. 

“Okay,” she said after a sip. Where would she start?! “I think, first of all we need to start with the LMDs.”

Two days passed and the LMDs arrived and a further day was spent with Simmons altering them with a small amount of her DNA to ensure they could potentially be activated in each timeline. Bradley Koenig didn’t fully understand the concept or the science, but they managed to create a setting on the LMDs whereby they could relay enough of the information. Simmons wasn’t totally sure how many they would need but at first, they created George, Eric, Sam and Billy as a working prototypes. Bradley told her that he could get a team to replicate her work in case more were necessary. She also told him exactly what information George needed to relay to her and of course to Fitz when they met in 2004. She didn’t have her notes with her, but due to her exceptional memory, that wasn’t an issue.

“Now we need to find the kree stone,” Simmons explained. “It should still be on the Iliad, Fitz found out where it was at this time and in fact, it’s hardly moved at all.”

“I can fly you there - I can tell Commander Gonzalez I’m sending more people to his ship for the science crew,” Bradley suggested.

“For a secure ship, it’s really not that difficult to get onto,” Simmons stated. “Fitz and I ended up getting on there really easily last time.”

“This guy Fitz you keep mentioning, he’s...your boyfriend?” Bradley asked. Simmons wasn’t quite sure what to reply.

“He...kind of. In 2015, we were supposed to be going on a date and then when I went back into 2004 we kind of ended up together but that was only for less than a day,” she sighed. “I...I couldn’t find the courage to tell him in the end how I felt and I didn’t even...didn’t even know what to say when he asked me out. My heart was saying one thing but the only word I could say was ‘oh.’ And now, he’s going to think I left him again. Which is why I have to get back to him and tell him that I’ve been here the whole time. If I can even get back to that timeline.” 

“How likely is that?”

“Considering how much has changed by me being here and me being in 2004? The chances are virtually impossible and I’m going to have to live with that. That I wasted so much time in not telling him how I felt and he’s never going to know.” 

“We can get an LMD to go to that timeline, even if you can’t,” Koenig suggested and Simmons shook her head.

“I think that’s near impossible too, but thank you, for considering it,” she smiled flatly and got up. “All I can hope for is that in whichever timeline I end up in when I go back to 2015, he’ll know exactly what you’ve told him and he’ll be waiting for me. I know, he won’t know who I am, but he’ll understand. We have an amazing connection.” 

“It certainly sounds like it,” Bradley smiled and got up too. “I’ll go prep the jet and get a team together. If anyone asks, who should I say you are?”

“Your niece. That’s what we’ve been saying in the future,” Simmons said and Bradley smiled and patted her on the head. 

“Well, you’re the best niece I could ever hope for,” Koenig smiled and walked of the kitchen. Simmons smiled to herself and walked over to the near empty cupboards - even if she left a note, she had no idea if he would end up here. The future was so uncertain and unpredictable.

Her and Bradley boarded a quinjet with Bradley flying towards the same location, the exact same way they had done the day before 5 years in the future. This time, she didn’t have Fitz’s hand to hold and her feet didn’t even touch the floor. There were plenty of other people around her. However, they were treating her like a little girl which Simmons found extremely frustrating - she was probably smarter than all of them.

“Is it nice being with your uncle, sweetheart?” one of the male scientists asked her. “What do you want to do when you grow up?”

“I’m going to be a biochemist for S.H.I.E.L.D. with three PHDs and run the science division back at the SSR,” she said with a smile. That shut him up.

Just like deja-vu, they landed on the ship. Robert Gonzalez walked over, still with his leg, and greeted them.

“Agent Koenig, a pleasure to meet you, are these the new recruits?” Gonzalez asked.

“They are indeed sir,” Bradley said.

“And who is this? Starting young are we?” Gonzalez spotted Simmons and she looked up. “Hello sweetheart.”

“This is my niece...er...Emma.” 

“Hi,” Simmons tried to keep her character as a young 12 year old.

“I’m babysitting,” Koenig said and put a hand on Simmons’ shoulder. “She wants to be a scientist so I thought I could show her around the ship?”

“Be my guest. I’ll get someone to show you around,” Gonzalez said.

“Oh, no we’ll be okay,” Koenig insisted. “We won’t get into any trouble.” Simmons smiled and nodded eagerly.

“Well if you’re sure. Don’t go leaking our secrets to anyone Emma,” Gonzalez said to Simmons with a smile and she laughed slightly.

“Of course not,” she said and followed Koenig towards the cargo hold. “It’s just down here.”

“How do you know which time to go to? Does it have a dial?” Bradley asked but Simmons shook her head.

“I don’t know, but if I think about it hard enough, I can get to where I need to go. I don’t know how it works or what it’s even meant to do, but it seems to understand where to take me. It’s confusing, I know,” Simmons said as the two looked around and opened the door to the cargo hold. 

There was the rock, once again, still as normal in the same place she had been before. She walked closer to it and Bradley just stared. 

“Is it safe to go in there?” he asked and Simmons nodded.

“I’ve done it before,” she said looked up at the case. “It fills me with fear, not knowing what I’m messing with, but over time I’ve realised that fear isn’t going to change anything. Controlling and understanding is what’s going to do it,” Simmons said and opened the glass door and turned around to face Koenig.

“I’ll do everything you ask and I’ll get George to meet you in 2004, Sam, Billy and Eric will be further down the line,” Bradley said and Simmons nodded. “And I’ll get George to tell Fitz about you.” Simmons sighed, a tear in her eye. “I hope you can find your way back to him, Jemma.”

“I hope so too,” she replied and heard the rock groaning. “Thank you Bradley, for all your help. Goodbye...”

Once again the rock fell down as a liquid and churned, swallowing her whole. Her mind was fixated on home - 2015 and as darkness fell once again, she hoped that she was strong enough to manipulate whatever this thing was. 

 

2015

Simmons gasped and awoke with a start in an unfamiliar bed.

“Where...where am I?” she clasped a hand to her mouth. It wasn’t the playground or any S.H.I.E.L.D. facility she knew. It was a house - it wasn’t any house that she knew. “Hello? Fitz?! Hello?”

“Simmons! Jemma Simmons!” she heard a voice and tried to turn around and saw a Koenig. “Hold on...I’m coming!”

She heard footsteps up stairs and the door flung open. Koenig stood there in his suit.

“Which...which one are you?” she asked hesitantly. 

“I’m Nathan,” he said. “Nathan Koenig. Are you alright? I have water?” He handed her a bottle but she shook her head.

“Where am I? Where is this? What’s the year?”

“Simmons, it’s...it’s 2015. You’re back at the exact time you left but...but it’s not the same timeline,” Nathan said quietly. 

“I knew it. I knew I couldn’t get back there,” Simmons said and felt up to reach her hair. “Wait...this is longer? Where...what’s happened?” 

“Si...” Nathan walked around the room and Simmons’ eyes followed him. “Simmons, there’s things that I need to tell you. About what happened.”

“Wh...what happened?” she said but Nathan wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Tell me!” 

“After you left in 1999, your parents reported you missing. They were devastated. Your body couldn’t remain in that timeline.”

“But I was in 2004? How...I...”

“In a different timeline,” Nathan Koenig explained. “I’m sorry. Too much changed.”

“But I’m here now, my body is here now?”

“You’re in the body of your own life model decoy. Our team spent years working on making one. They used the DNA you implanted in the LMDs to make a replica for you. We’ve been waiting for you to arrive but your LMD has been here for years...” 

“I...I’m...I’m not here? But...but I’m meant to meet Fitz. I gave Bradley instructions on where we should meet and...” she saw Koenig’s eyes lower. “Nathan? Where’s Fitz?” 

“I tried everything. We all did. There are 6 decoys in this timeline. We told him back in 2004 when you asked us to. It was Harry who did that. He didn’t believe us at first, but eventually he accepted it as the truth. We told him all the details but he focussed on something else. Ward...” Nathan sat down and Simmons sat up further in the bed. “He heard the Ward was HYDRA and went to the other academy to find him and...and killed him. With a pipe.”

Simmons gapsed.

“No...” 

“They locked him away in a prison, high security. He was desperate to get out. To get to you,” Nathan Koenig said. “Simmons, he...he was isolated and...after HYDRA found out that he had predicted their uprising, they saw him as a threat.” 

Tears ran from Simmons’s eyes.

“Did...did they?” she whispered and Koenig, with a tear in his eye too, nodded. “No...NO! NO! NO! NO!” she sobbed. “NO! That can’t be true...it can’t be...but...not my Fitz...Leo...NO!” 

“I’m so sorry,” Nathan said.

“I need to go back! I won’t tell him about Ward or...or that I’m coming back. I’ll just show up and...”

“If you show up after all these years they’re going to know something isn’t right. Your soul can’t stay here in this LMD forever - we haven’t stabilised it.” 

“I can work it out, I’ll find a way! There has to be a way!” 

“There...there is a way, just...listen to me,” Nathan told her. “We’ve been working on it - me and the other LMDs and we think there’s a solution. You need to go back to 1999 and prevent Bradley from telling Fitz anything.”

“But I...so he won’t know about me? What about the Fitz I left behind in 2004? What happened to him?”

“Once you went to 1999, the timeline was rendered obsolete. That version of 2004 didn’t happen.”

“But it did happen! George was there! There was a grandfather paradox! If I wasn’t there then how c...” Simmons knew she was fighting a lost battle and dried her eyes. “We have to fix this.” 

“I know, which is why, after you stop Bradley mentioning anything to Fitz, you need to remain in that timeline.”

Simmons looked at Nathan Koenig in shock, but as soon as he said it, she understood why.

“Stay there? Stay in 1999?”

“You’ll live through as normal, if you keep things virtually the same then your parents won’t think you were missing and you’ll still get to meet Fitz,” Nathan explained and Simmons shook her head sadly.

“But by the time I get to 2015, I’ll be 43 years old and I can’t even tell Fitz what happened. I can’t tell anyone what happened.” 

“We’ve worked for years on this. Trying to find a way - I had the best engineers and scientists from S.H.I.E.L.D. working on it, without saying what it was for of course.”

“I knew it would be impossible, near impossible. There’s three timelines now - the one I came from, the one where I told Fitz, theI’ one where you told Fitz and...I have to go back to a fourth?” Simmons considered it. “I’m going to have to go there and live like everything is exactly the same. But everything’s changed and everything is going to change. The whole world is going to turn completely upside down. The only constant I had through this was Fitz and now I can’t even tell him?” Nathan Koenig came over and put an arm around her shoulders. “Tell me, did he...did he say anything about me? When he thought I was going to meet him?” 

“He just said that if someone was willing to travel through time to find him, then they must be very special,” Nathan told her and Simmons started to cry again. “I hate to be the bearer of more bad news but if you’re going to go back, you’re going to have to do it quickly.” She looked up at him. “A person’s soul cannot stay in an LMD because the whole purpose of us is that we have our own souls, our own personalities. We made it so that you have the longest amount of time to stay in one but all we could get was 5 hours.”

“I don’t need that long. Where’s the kree stone? In my 2015 it was at the playground.”

“It’s...it’s still at the playground within S.H.I.E.L.D so I can get you there very easily, which is the good news! The bad news is that...the new S.H.I.E.L.D. is being run by Gonzalez, not Coulson.”

“What? Where’s Coulson?” 

“He’s still on the run. We haven’t found him yet.”

“May? Skye?” 

“May is with the other S.H.I.E.L.D. and Skye...we don’t know.”

“Afterlife, she’d be in Afterlife,” Simmons explained.

“The stone is at the playground, we can go there straight away, it’s not far, a couple of hours away. You’re in a safe house right now,” Nathan Koenig explained and Simmons got up.  
“You should destroy that stone, as soon as I’m gone because no one needs to be harmed by it further. Messing with time is more deadly than I ever realised.”

Simmons was was already clothed and stood up. Her LMD was so lifelike - she couldn’t even tell the difference except for the pounding headache, although that was more likely due to the time travel and the crying. She followed Nathan down the stairs and to the basement where he unlocked a black car. 

“How will we get in? Are they going to know who I am?”

“We made you a lanyard. They’ll just think you’re another scientist,” Nathan handed her one and Simmons smiled flatly.

“Should’ve guessed it would’ve been something to do with a lanyard.” 

“They make everything more organised and it’s easier to spot and track people,” Nathan told her with an enthusiastic smile as he started the car and they drove along towards the playground. Simmons looked out of the window sadly as they were met with daylight.

“This power is too much for me. Being able to control and alter time. There’s so much I know and want to prevent, so many people I could help but I can’t do it all. Of course, there’s the utilitarianism approach to save the most amount of people as possible, but I’m only human. It just frustrates me that I have all this knowledge of the future but I can’t change anything at all. That’s why the rock has to be destroyed because it’s too much power for one person.”

“But what if you wanted to travel to another time again? You wouldn’t be able to?”

“I won’t be going anywhere else,” Simmons assured him. “As soon as I go, you have to get rid of it. Smash it when it’s in the rock solid state, I don’t know if that will work but it’s worth a try.”

“Okay,” Nathan responded and Simmons fell quiet again. She knew it was an extreme move but if the last few days had been anything to go by, time travel was not something to be used frivolously.

They checked in at the playground and entered through the same door, walking towards where the rock would be. 

“It looks the same, Bradley did a good job,” Simmons stated, looking around and glancing back at the lab which had the same set up, except for two things missing - her and Fitz. She saw his room was occupied by someone else and lowered her eyes. She had put him through so much pain and he hadn’t even known who she was. All of it, had been for nothing. She couldn’t protect him, she couldn’t be with him, she couldn’t stop leaving him. At least, this way, she could find him again in the past and try to go back to a different kind of normal. Although, she couldn’t deal with jumping out of the bus again, watching Skye get shot, watching Ward turn into a monster and Fitz’s brain damage...  
 All things she wished she could change, that she could change easily - but she was fearful of all the consequences that would follow.

“Billy?” they heard a familiar voice and the two turned around. May...  
“Agent May,” Nathan chuckled to himself. Simmons recalled that Billy Koenig had a big crush on May. Either Nathan was acting to the part or he had a crush on her too. “Any word on Coulson?”

“Not a thing? Who’s this?” May said and looked at Simmons - it was like she was a stranger to her. Simmons opened her mouth to talk but Nathan cut in.

“Agent 24. We rescued her from a safe house. I’m just going to vet her now to check everything is in order.”

“I’ll come too...” May said but Nathan held his hand out.

“Lie detector tests are for the subject and subject only. Sorry Agent May but as soon as we’re done, you can talk to her. Come on, agent,” Nathan guided Simmons away. She looked back at May who walked away with her usual stern look. “It’s in here.” 

Nathan opened the door to the same room that Fitz had asked Simmons out, the rock in the exact same place. No one was even guarding it. Simmons breathed out, tears in her eyes as she looked up.

“It’s as clear as day. He was there, leaning on the side, I was just fiddling with tech. I didn’t even know what he meant at first. Had no idea he was trying to ask me to dinner,” she said and sniffed. “I wish I could get back to that time. There’s no way I can, is there?”

“Too much has changed, I’m sorry,” Nathan said and Simmons nodded.

“I know, I know I can’t but I just hoped...never mind,” she said and opened the door to the case, standing inside it once more. “Please, destroy this. As soon as I go, no one can get their hands on this. Especially not HYDRA.”

“I’m on it,” Nathan said and noticed a large sledge hammer. “It was really nice to meet you. I’m sorry for what happened.”

“It’s not your fault, it’s just the bu...” but the rock changed to liquid sooner than she thought and Simmons struggled to think back to where she needed to go. 1999. 1999. 1999. She kept telling herself - she hoped it would work...

Nathan Koenig sighed heavily to himself and picked up the sledge hammer. He knew that rock could change back any moment to liquid and that this wouldn’t be enough to destroy the alien substance, but it was worth a try.

He moved closer towards it, about to open the glass when the door flew open from behind.

“Nathan! Stop!” another Koenig’s voice came and Nathan looked around.

“Jimmy?”

“Put the hammer down, you can’t destroy the rock,” Jimmy Koenig walked over to him.

“Simmons just went through there, she told me to destroy it as soon as...”

“You can’t destroy it. Bradley has a plan. I couldn’t let you know or let her know because otherwise that grandmother thing wouldn’t happen.”

“Grandfather,” Nathan corrected. “What sort of plan?”

“Someone else needs that rock, to travel back in time. Not in this timeline but in a different one. If you destroy it in any of the timelines she’s been in he won’t be able to find her.”

“Who won’t be able to find her?”

“Fitz,” Jimmy told Nathan. “He’s looking for her.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting these out quickly! Simmons realises that she can change the future by saving the one man who destroyed everything for her. Grant Ward. Meanwhile, something's happening in 2015...

1999

Bradley had just seen Simmons leave and wiped a tear from his eye - he’d grown attached to the little girl. 

“BRADLEY!” he could almost hear her calling him, but then turned around shocked to see her behind him in the glass case, pounding on the glass. 

“Jemma?” he threw the door open and pulled her out, just as the rock turned back into solid. “What happened?! Didn’t it work?”

“It...it worked but...I’m back,” she said and gathered herself. She felt her face and saw she was back in her normal body. “Oh phew I didn’t miss it. I thought I wouldn’t get back.” 

“Get back? What happened?”

“No time here, we need to get back to the jet and I’ll explain,” she said and Bradley nodded as they left the rock behind, walking quickly out of the cargo hold towards the jet.

“Going so soon?” Gonzalez walked up to them.

“She’s getting tired,” Bradley smiled. “I hope you like the new recruits, commander. If you need anything, just call.”

“I will do. Bye Emma,” Gonzalez smiled and Simmons waved slightly before they hurried back into the jet. Simmons sat in the cock-pit, next to Bradley as he flew the jet up into the sky and the two set back towards the playground. 

“I went back, to 2015 but so much had changed. Fitz...he...” she felt choked up even trying to explain. “Once he found out I was going to meet him and what would happen in the future he...he killed Ward. It was too much for him to keep a secret and then when HYDRA found out they...they killed him.” 

“Oh my God...” Bradley looked at her and Simmons shook her head.

“And I no longer existed in this timeline because I left in 1999. The 2004 timeline only happened in the past, not in the future. I can’t get back to the 2015 I came from because too much changed and I wouldn’t even exist.”

“So what do you do? What plan do we need to work on now?” Bradley asked but Simmons shook her head. 

“You need to stop the LMDs from telling Fitz about what happened. In fact, maybe just stop production of them anyway. I told Nathan Koenig, the one I met, to destroy the rock. I’m not time travelling anymore.”

“What?! You’re...you’re going to stay?”

“I have to stay. I have to live my normal life and pretend as if nothing changed,” tears ran down her cheeks as she spoke. “It’s the only way I’m going to be able to live through a normal life, by redoing it in this timeline...”

“But by the time you get to 2015, you’ll be...”

“I know. My mind will be so much older. By the time I meet Fitz at the academy, I’ll be 32 and he...he won’t...he won’t even know who I am. He can never know.”

“Never?”

“Never,” Simmons got up and started to pace around. “Someday, maybe I could tell him but not now. He’s only 12 and we don’t even meet until we are 17 and even then, he took at least a good couple of weeks before he spoke to me. I have to go through all of that again, over and over...everything.”

“But surely there must be a way! A way to get back to that timeline, you’re a scientist! You’re a child prodigy! You can find a way to keep your body here and...”

“It’s too late. The stone has been destroyed and it’s impossible to find a way to do that. It’s impossible,” she sat down on another chair in the jet. “I just cause him pain. When I’m with him, when I leave him, when I’m not even with him?! I just ruin him.”

“That’s not true,” Bradley put the jet on auto-pilot and sat next to her. “By the sounds of it, you’re everything to him.” 

“And he’s everything to me. I can’t leave him again. I may not be able to correct what happens in the other timelines, but I can be a different person in this one. I can stay with him, I can be there for him. He doesn’t need to know who I am - maybe one day but for now, I need him to live his normal life. I owe him that.”

“Well, then when you get to it, you can stop him from getting brain damage at the bottom of the ocean. You can stop him from giving you the oxygen?” Bradley suggested.

“He wouldn’t let me even if he knew the truth. He cared about me that much and I couldn’t even stay with him. He’s always been the better person out of the two of us,” Simmons sniffed. “He killed Ward. He just killed him? I couldn’t even kill him! He did that, for me and I couldn’t even do that for him! I should find Ward and kill him now. Then he wouldn’t hurt Fitz and he wouldn’t hurt the team.”  
“And get yourself put in jail? No, don’t do that, it wouldn’t make anything better. I know you’re angry but that’s not the way,” Bradley told her and Simmons sighed. “Besides, he wouldn’t even be old enough to know what HYDRA is right now.”

“That...hold on...Bradley, what date are we at now?” 

“March 15th 1999? Why?”

“Because...because Ward was abused as a child by his family. He was put in a military academy and...drove to set fire to his family home. I don’t know when that happened but it was in 1999! We could stop him! Stop Garrett from getting to him and turning him HYDRA!”

“Yes! Yes we could! But, what about your family? They’ll wonder where you are?”

“Well, I...I could get them to adopt him?” Simmons suggested and Bradley looked at her, wordlessly. “Yeah, you’re right. Stupid idea. Well, couldn’t you train him? Send him to Fury or something? Before Garrett gets there?” 

“I could, but it would be difficult, especially with his history. Where is he? A prison? We couldn’t get into a prison?”

“Well then, we don’t get to him there. We get to him before he leaves the military academy and set him right. Get him away from that family and save him,” Simmons said. “But you’re right. My family will be missing me and I can’t do two things at once? Un...unless...”

“What?” Bradley Koenig asked.

“LMD. We could create an LMD of me! I could go back and live my normal life at home and get the LMD to do exactly what I would do, but then I would be here!” Simmons laughed. “Oh my God, we can do that! We can send the LMD back to the timeline before I left the bus and so no one would ever know I was missing!”

“An LMD wouldn’t be exactly the same as you though, your parents would notice,” Bradley told her. 

“Well, I’m a pretty good liar now after all my time in HYDRA. I think I’m up to the task,” Simmons said and Bradley smiled, nodding. “I’m really going to do this. I know I said I wouldn’t mess with time, but something good can come out of this. If this rock is going to govern everything for me now then I’m going to use it to make things right.”

“We’d better get started then,” Bradley smiled and Simmons grinned to herself. She didn’t need to fear the rock - it wasn’t going to ruin things, it could make them better. She had the chance to rewrite history. Whatever it was, it was going to give her a second chance. 

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing after all?

 

2015

Coulson needed to talk to Fitzsimmons about the kree rock, it’s security. Agent Weaver and Mack had briefed him and informed him that it couldn’t stay here for long - especially if the inhumans were after it. It would have to go to the fridge or up in the sling-shot. He knocked on the door to the room but when there was no reply, he opened the door.

“What the hell?” he saw the black liquid seeping back into the open cage and turn back into rock. He ran as fast as he could and shut the door. “Fitzsimmons?!” he looked around, seeing the tech laying on the floor - untouched. He got out his radio. “May? Get Fitzsimmons into my office. Now.”

Coulson waited patiently and the door opened.

“I found Fitz,” May said. “No sign of Simmons.”

“She’s probably in her room, getting ready,” Fitz smiled to himself, wearing a smarter shirt and trousers. “What’s wrong?”

“Go find her, May, I need to talk to you both,” Coulson said and May nodded, leaving the room. “Fitz, that kree rock. You two were working on it?”

“Jemma was doing most of the work but yes, we were.”

“Well, I just went and checked and the door to the case the rock was in? It was wide open. That can’t happen, you know how dangerous it is! It’s a weapon against inhumans and now Skye is back, can you imagine what it would do to her?!”

“I...I didn’t leave it open. Jemma, she...she was working on it last?” Fitz said. 

“When did you see her last?”

“When I left her in...in the room.” Fitz said. “There’s security in that room, run the footage. We were there around 4:30.” Coulson lifted up his tablet and ran the footage from 4pm, winding it forwards. “Ha, I hope May finds her. I kind of asked her out to dinner, hopefully she hasn’t stood me up...” Fitz said in a half joking way and Coulson looked back sympathetically at him. “There we are.”

Fitz awkwardly watched himself asking Simmons out. Coulson had a small smile on his face. 

“Asking her out like that, how could she say no?” Coulson said and Fitz laughed slightly under his breath.

“Well, she didn’t exactly say yes, but she...yeah, there you go,” Fitz pointed and smiled, seeing her body language much clearer from up here. “But yeah, she’s certainly saying yes. Definitely.” Fitz watched himself leave the room. “That’s when I last saw her. Aww, look at her little smile.”

Then, Fitz and Coulson saw Simmons look up at the case. 

“The door’s open.”

“What? No, it c...it was shut when...oh...” Fitz said. “I leant on it...what’s she...doing...” Fitz’s words stopped and his face fell as he saw Simmons open the case and the rock turned to liquid. She screamed and it pulled her back into the case and reformed as a rock. “No...NO! JEMMA! JEMMA!” Fitz ran out of the office towards the room and Coulson followed.

“Fitz! FITZ!” 

“JEMMA!” Fitz pushed past people in the corridor and thrust the door open and saw the rock turn into liquid. He ran to the glass. “Jemma? Jemma?! She’s not there! WHY ISN’T SHE IN THERE?!” he turned to Coulson who gaped.

“She...it took her...” Coulson gasped. “

“I need to go in, I n...” 

“No, Fitz! You can’t! You don’t what happened! It’ll...”

“I NEED TO GET TO HER! I...” Fitz cried out. 

“FITZ!” Sam Koenig’s voice came from behind and they turned around. “Don’t open that. Not yet.”

“YOU CAN’T STOP ME!”

“I can, I know where she is,” Sam shut the door.

“Sam? What are you saying?” Coulson said and Sam went over to Fitz.

“It’s a long story, but I need you to believe me. She’s gone back in time.”

“What?! If this is some kind of...” Fitz began but Sam shook his head. 

“Let’s go to my office, we can talk about it there,” Coulson guided Fitz away, but he continued to look back at the rock.

“Jem...” he whispered. 

 

1999

Simmons’s LMD came within a couple of days and she was fully programmed to act like her. She was just as bright and intuitive and sometimes, Bradley couldn’t even tell the difference, except for the difference in their hair lengths. Whilst Simmons liked having a friend around to talk with her, even if it was herself, she knew that this Simmons couldn’t stay. Bradley flew her back to the ship - claiming to give more recruits to Gonzalez, except this time, the fake Simmons had to be taken to the rock in secret. 

Luckily, Simmons was able to talk to her through the phone and within a few moments, the fake Simmons called her and explained that everything was normal and she was on the trip as usual. 

“Oh brilliant, thank you! I don’t know when I’ll see you next but please keep in touch,” Simmons said and the LMD agreed. “Be safe and...look after my family for me?”

“I will,” the LMD replied and then Simmons cut the phone call and waited for Bradley to return. She’d gathered enough information for the two to find Ward, but once they got to him, she had no idea what would happen. She had never hated someone more than him and yet here she was, meeting with him. Pretending as if all the bad stuff hadn’t happened? If she told him, he would hate himself, but isn’t that what someone like him deserved? She was supposed to forget everything?

“I have to,” Simmons told herself. 

When Bradley Koenig returned, the two set off almost instantly to drive to the military academy. 

“I hate doing that. Sending you off. I know it wasn’t you but still,” Bradley said to Simmons who looked up. “She’s just a girl.”

“Did you never want kids of your own?”

“I dedicated everything to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the secret bases, there would never be time to meet someone or have a family,” Bradley said. 

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about your future - whether you have children or not,” Simmons stated.

“It’s okay, I’m fine without. I have my video games and now I have all these LMDs,” he said with a smile. “What’s our plan when we get in?” he changed the subject.

“I’ll go in first. Ward has a little sister, she’d be around my age but I don’t know any more than that. They’d let me in - hardly going to see a little girl as a threat,” Simmons told him and Bradley nodded.

“He’s dangerous, you be careful.”

“Don’t worry, I can handle Ward,” she replied. 

They arrived late that night at the academy and pulled up before the security system. Koenig told them that he was Ward’s uncle and they believed him, letting the two in. However, it was Jemma’s puppy dog eyes that did it. 

They arranged to meet Ward in his room, but Bradley waited outside. 

“Remember our signal word,” Bradley said to her. 

“Buttercups?” Simmons smiled and Bradley smiled and nodded. She breathed out heavily and shut her eyes. “Come on, you can do this.” Her hands shook as she knocked on the door. Behind there was the man who had caused trauma to everyone she knew and loved. 

He’d destroyed their team, damaged Fitz, killed Victoria Hand, tried to hurt May and Skye and Bobbi? He didn’t know about any of that. He had no idea what he was capable of. To see his smug, unknowing face would be the hardest thing she ever had to do, and she’d done plenty of those.

She knocked and the door opened. Grant Ward, who was much shorter than his usual self looked around and then down to see Simmons - she was barely half his height. He had a similar face but a short fringe and was no where near as broad or handsome.

“Yes?” he said and Simmons gasped, unsure what to say. 

“I’m...I’m...I need to come in,” she pushed past him and Ward looked back at her, cluelessly.

“Who are you? Are you lost?”

“I’m...Emma Koenig,” she lied and looked up into those same eyes. The same eyes that held a gun before her and didn’t shoot. The same eyes that met hers when she was falling from the plane. The same eyes that pushed her and Fitz out of the plane in the med pod. She swallowed. “And I’m here to save you.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Fitz and Simmons battle through difficulties - Fitz finds out what happened to Simmons with the knowledge that it's up to him to bring her back and Simmons faces Ward and tries to convince him to come back with them. Are they up to their respective tasks?

2015

“So you’re telling me, she’s crossed four different timelines?!” Fitz stared at Sam Koenig. “But if you’re here in her past, how do you know about this?”

“Bradley felt sorry for her - he saw how upset she was and spent years trying to find a way to get me in this timeline. I wasn’t allowed to mention anything up until now because of the grandfather paradox. But now, I can.”

“How do we get her back?” Coulson asked. “We can get her back, right?”

“That...we haven’t figured out. I have a team back at a safe-house working on this, but we need your help. You had a simulation back in 2004 which somehow managed to help Simmons work out how to create the LMDs. 11 years on, I bet you can create something better.”

“I could, but...but it’s really advanced science,” Fitz said. “I helped her in the past?”

“When she first went back, she was in 2004 and she met your 17 year old self in that new timeline. None of this would have been possible if it hadn’t have been for you,” Sam said and Fitz sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

“We were going to go for dinner. We would finally get a chance to talk about our feelings and I could treat her exactly how she deserved to be treated. It was going to be nice,” Fitz said and looked at Coulson who put a hand on his shoulder. “Where is this safe house?”

“It’s not far, I can drive you,” Sam said and Fitz got up.

“Wait, hold on. Fitz? You can’t...you can’t just go?”

“I have to, sir. I have to find her.”

“But that could take years. They’ve been doing this since 2004, you’re not going to do this overnight?” Coulson said to him.

“I know that, but I have to try,” Fitz told him. “She’s spent all this time trying to search for me and she’s all alone in a new timeline. I can’t imagine how scared she is. I have to do this, I can’t just give up on her. She’s...” Fitz sniffed, tears in his eyes. “She’s my Jemma. I have to.”

Coulson looked down and nodded. 

“Keep in touch. Anything you need, I’m here.”

“I know sir,” Fitz said and turned to the door and walked out. Sam faced Coulson.

“You have to keep this quiet, we can’t let this get out. And don’t let anyone near that rock,” he said. 

“May’s just got back from her holiday and she’s looking for Simmons. I can’t really keep it quiet from her,” Coulson said. “Everyone else, I can.”

“Thank you sir, I’ll keep you updated,” Sam said and Coulson nodded. 

“Keep him safe. Fitz. He’s still recovering from the brain damage.”

“I will, I promise but if he’s half as tough as Simmons then he’s going to be okay,” Sam smiled and walked out of the office behind Fitz. 

May saw the two leaving and entered Coulson’s office with a quizzical look on her face.

“What’s going on?” she asked and Coulson sighed, sitting down at his desk.

“You’re going to need to sit down, May. Something terrible has happened...”

 

1999

“Save me? From what?” Ward asked Simmons and she looked around the big room. 

“Your future. Your family. Yourself,” Simmons said. “I can’t explain much more, I’m sorry, but if you carry on with all this hate, this anger inside you then bad things are going to happen.”

“What, are you psychic?”

“No, I’m not psychic, but I am from the future and I’ve seen what things have happened which is why I’m here to stop that. You’re a good person and bad things were put upon you because of your circumstances but you don’t have to be that person.”

“What person? I don’t even know what the hell you are on about?!” 

“I know, I understand. Sorry, it’s just really, really hard for me to be here. To...to see you, knowing what happened because you made our lives hell,” Simmons struggled. “Look, I can get you out of here, take you to a secret organisation which can help you. Protect you from your family and you can find a proper family there. They’re good people. We can look after you.”

“And why should I trust you?”

“Because you have to. I know, you want to go back to your family and burn down the house, but...but you don’t know that your brother is going to be in that house and then you’re going to go to jail. Or at least you would have, except someone had another idea and tried to mould you into a killing machine.”

“I...” Ward sighed and sat down on his bed. “Yeah, I was thinking about it, but how did...how did you know?”

“Like I said, I’m from the future and I wasn’t intending on helping you. In fact, I really wanted to kill you, but I know now that that wouldn’t help. What would help is stopping all the bad and leaving you with the good because I’ve seen bits of you that were good, I know that. You...you saved me, in the future.”

“Saved you? I thought I made your life hell?” 

“You did, but before that, you jumped out of a plane and you stopped me from falling into the ocean. You risked your life for me and you...you befriended us all. You cared about us, even though you didn’t think you could. There was good in you and I’m here to find that and let that grow. Because if you’re left to yourself, without that help, you’re going to become a terrible person. You may not know that, or think that, but you’re always going to have that inside of you. That piece of good and that’s going to battle against the bad. Don’t let it get defeated. I promise, I can help you.” 

“I don’t even know you,” Ward said.

“Get to know us, you’ll like us.”

“Who is us?”

“Bradley Koenig,” Simmons said. “He’s my uncle, he’s helping me.”

“Your uncle from the future?”

“No he...it’s complicated. I can’t tell you everything, we’re from a secret organisation and we don’t know if we can trust you yet,” she explained and Ward scoffed. 

“You’re pretty smart for a little girl. What are you? 10?”

“12, and actually I have more than two PHDs,” she said and Ward smiled at her. “Please, give us a chance and if you don’t like it, you can come back here or blow up your family. But let me do this. I have to.”

Ward sighed and looked around the room.

“Where do I sign?” 

Ward followed Simmons out of the room and they met up with Bradley who shook Ward’s hand.

“She’s good,” Ward said and Bradley smiled.

“Not going to disagree,” he replied. “Come on, my car is at the front. Pretend we’re going to dinner.”

“They will find us, they’re ruthless even if we miss curfew,” Ward said.

“But we’re S.H.I.E.L.D., and we can very easily disappear of the radar,” Bradley said as they left the building. Simmons walked down behind Ward, feeling a nervousness. What if she couldn’t save him? What if things were worse? She didn’t know much about marksmanship and she couldn’t teach him everything Garrett had? 

But she had compassion, and Garrett didn’t. That’s where she knew she would be better off.

Ward opened the car door for her and Simmons smiled up at him - maybe he could be saved. She got in and sat down and he sat in the front of the car as Koenig started to drive. 

“You’ll like where we’re going, it’s got plenty of space and rooms,” Bradley said to Ward. “And your curfew can be as long as you like, so long as you stick with this one.” He indicated Simmons. “She’s the real boss.”

“Well, she’s spun me a story about being from the future to get me out of there,” Ward commented.

“It’s not a story, it’s the truth and I shouldn’t have told you,” Simmons said to him.

“Come on, time travel is impossible. Next thing you’ll be telling me stories about aliens...”

“You’ve never heard of S.H.I.E.L.D. before have you?” Bradley asked and Ward shook his head. “Well then, it’s going to be a long, long ride...” 

 

2015

“Ward? She went to find Ward?” Fitz said to Sam who nodded. “She...oh my God. She wanted to kill him and she put herself through all that pain to save him?”

“She did, and she did it because she knew that he would hurt you in the future as well as everyone else. Of all the things she could’ve warned us about and changed, HYDRA, the Avengers, 9/11, she chose to change that. For you.” 

“But...wow...” Fitz breathed out. “If I was her I would’ve killed him instead.”

“I know, we had an experience of that in a different timeline,” Sam said and Fitz looked over at him. “In the third timeline you had killed Ward, with a pipe and were put in prison.”

“A pipe? Like with...with Gordon,” Fitz said as they approached the safe house. “Where are we?”

“This is a safe house that was built specifically for this purpose,” Sam told Fitz. “In that third timeline, it’s where we housed Simmons’s LMD when she woke up.”

“Simmons had an LMD?”

“She has three actually. That we know of. One in that timeline, one they created when she back in the fourth one which she sent back to England to be with her family whilst she helped out Ward. And the third, we kept here, just in case she ever got back to this timeline.”

“Here? She’s here?”

“It’s not really her, it’s a lifeless LMD,” Sam explained as he parked the car. Fitz opened his door. “There’s labs downstairs and a working techology base in the front room.”

“I want to see the LMD,” Fitz insisted.

“Fitz...she’s not real...”   
“I don’t care, just let me see her. Please...” Fitz said and Sam sighed, nodding. He led Fitz into the house. 

“Up here,” Sam told him and Fitz followed, looking around and the normal looking house. “We didn’t think she could come back to this time but we always hoped just in case she did, which is why we had it made.”

Sam opened the door and Fitz saw the LMD laying on the bed. Her eyes were open, staring up completely lifeless at the ceiling, just like when he’d found her on that train they’d been undercover on it Italy. 

“Oh my God,” Fitz said and walked over - Sam Koenig stayed by the door. “She looks so real.”

“These LMDs do, you wouldn’t even know that I’m one,” Sam said and Fitz knelt down by the bed and put a hand to her cheek. 

“Feels real too,” Fitz said and put his hand to her face to close her eyes. “Her little face...”

“Come downstairs, see what we’ve got so far,” Sam said and Fitz nodded, standing up, holding the hand of the LMD for a little while longer before letting it go. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I’m fine,” Fitz said. “Look, I know you’re worried I won’t be able to handle this before of...” Fitz pointed to his head. “But I’m fine. I am...”

“You don’t have to go through this alone,” Sam told him and patted Fitz on the back as he shut the door. Fitz hesitated before walking down the stairs, desperate to go back in to see her face.  
But those times were past - having a fake Simmons again was a regression and it wouldn’t help him. He needed to get to the real one and the only way he could do that was with science. 

Which is why he left the LMD behind and didn’t re-enter the room again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay (I was busy thinking about meeting Iain at comic con WHICH WAS AWESOME)
> 
> Simmons tries to sympathise with Ward but it's too much. She finally gets to tell Ward what he did, but can she blame him when it wasn't him who really did it?

“Where are we?” Ward asked as they pulled up, once again, at the playground.

“It’s a S.H.I.E.L.D. base, erm...should I have told him that?” Bradley asked Simmons who shrugged.

“Come with me, I’ll find you a room,” Simmons said, remembering when they put him in vault D. She glanced past it and then decided to put him in one close to hers, for safety reasons. 

“Nice,” Ward looked around. “Now are you going to tell me who you really are?”

“I told you, I’m S.H.I.E.L.D. and th...”

“No, who you really are. You don’t look anything like Bradley and plus you have a British accent and he doesn’t. You’re not really related, are you?”

“You’re good at detecting,” Simmons commented. “Okay, no, he’s not my uncle but he’s helping me travel through time. I’ve been back and forth and realised that I have to end up in this timeline if I want to survive.”

“Where did you come from?”

“2015, a very, very different place to where we are now.”

“Flying cars?” Ward smiled and Simmons smiled flatly.

“Just the one,” she replied.

“What’s your real name?”

“Jemma Simmons,” she said. 

“My sister is around your age,” Ward commented.

“I may look 12, but I’m actually 27, in my mind,” Simmons said. “What’s happened to your family? Your parents? Your siblings?”

“My parents shipped me off to this school, wanted to get me away because I was becoming too much trouble. They wanted to straighten me out, but it was them that...” Ward looked up. “I don’t even know you, why am I telling you this?”

“You don’t have to, but I guess no one’s ever asked you about it before?” Simmons told him and Ward nodded.  
“They used to hurt us, my parents, except for my youngest brother Thomas. They never hurt him, so my older brother made me...” Ward stopped and looked around the room - Simmons could see he was struggling. She didn’t know what made her do it but she put a hand on his and he nodded. “He made me hurt my brother. I’m just so angry! How could they do that? And then to...” he sighed. “Was I the only one who knew that this was wrong?”

“Kids shouldn’t have to grow up like that,” Simmons said. “I’m sorry you went through it.”

“I just want to...show them. Get back at them. Show them that they can’t...treat people like that! And Thomas and Georgina are still there, in that environment. What’s going to happen to them if I can’t protect them?”

“I know you want to but if you do then it’s going to destroy who you are,” Simmons told him. “It’s hard, I know it is, but you’re free, you’re out of there and you can escape. And...Bradley is on the phone right now to report your family. Your brother and sister can go into care and they’ll have a better life.”

“What? You’d do that?” Ward looked up.

“Yes,” she said softly. “Like I said, kids shouldn’t have to grow up like that.”

“Thank you,” Ward said and Simmons nodded. “Why do you care so much? About me? I’m a nothing.”

“Believe me, you’re not nothing,” she said.

“But you came back in time specifically to find me and change what I do? Are we...together in the future?” Ward asked.

“Ew no! No! I mean, no offense but no! I mean you’re very handsome and in the future you are too but no!” Simmons said and Ward smiled at her. “You’re more like a big brother, or at least, you were.” 

“Well then, what did I do that was so bad? That you had to change it?” Ward asked her and Simmons sighed. “What did I do?”

“That...that doesn’t matter right now because it won’t happen anyway,” she told him and stood up. “I should get some sleep, I may be 27 in my mind but at the moment I still get tired at a 12 year old’s bedtime. If you need anything, ask Bradley - he’s really good and he makes amazing hot chocolate.”

“I will,” Ward said. “Thanks. For taking me. What are we doing in the morning?”

“That’s when training begins,” Simmons smiled. “Night,” she said and walked towards her room. She shut the door behind her and struggled out and exhaled. “My God...” It had been much harder than she’d imagined, but it was true - that was good in Ward and she could culture that and change things. After all this time wanting to kill him, this was the solution. At least killing him would just be one pull on a trigger, but waiting, watching him, knowing what he was capable of was going to be much, much harder.

She slept restlessly that night but the following morning, found out that Bradley had made them both a cooked breakfast which made her feel much better. 

“Could get used to this,” Ward said.

“Don’t get used to it, once your training starts it’ll be healthy food,” Bradley got up. “Your skills were marksmanship and you were very good at it, so...let’s see what you’re made of.”

Simmons got up too and Ward followed her - they headed down to the basement where May used to train Skye. 

“First, you need to learn how to use a gun,” Bradley explained and handed Ward a small one. “We’ll start small but work our way up. The academy will help you to learn more but we can start here with the basics.”

Bradley started Ward off, but Ward managed to hit the target on the first go which shocked Simmons. She’d forgotten how good he was. 

“That’s very impressive, for a first time,” Bradley played it down and Simmons smiled. “Wait until get get onto the harder moving targets.”

However, Ward managed to hit all of them with ease - he had a natural skill for marksmanship and with Koenig’s lessons, he was becoming even better. Soon, he started messing around - spinning the gun as he did it and trying to do it with his eyes shut.

“Stop messing around! This isn’t a game!” Simmons told him.

“I’m just having some fun,” Ward replied.

“This isn’t meant to be fun!” Simmons got up. “You’re meant to be concentrating. We’re not looking to get you into a talent show - one day, this is going to be a real person and you need to start taking it seriously, especially if you need to kill someone someday.”

“Kill someone?” Ward looked at Koening and he nodded.

“We’ve all done it,” Simmons said and then breathed out heavily. “Excuse me for now.” She walked towards the door and shut it closed behind her and stood up against the wall, trying to calm her anger. Shortly, Bradley followed.

“What’s the matter?” he asked Simmons who put her hands behind her head.

“He’s just...so smug. He still has that in him and he doesn’t understand what it’s like to...to have to take something seriously,” she told him.

“He’s a 15 year old boy, he’s going to want to mess around. I did the same.”

“I know, but seeing him there with those same mannerisms and that same attitude,” she shook her head. “I know, he’s a different person and I’m meant to forgive him but what he did to Fitz...to our team, to Bobbi and the other agents...” 

“It’s hard, I understand, but were here to make him a better person. If you told him what he did, maybe he’d understand and repent?”

“No, it would be too much. He’d feel guilty for something he didn’t even do. He already has his family hurting him, we can’t do that too.” Simmons went back to the door and opened it. “I just have to get over myself.”

 

2015

“So these are the models we’ve set up,” Koenig said to Fitz who looked around. “They aren’t very advanced, but they work on what we think she’s been doing over different timelines.”

“What happened to Bradley Koenig? Is he still alive?” Fitz asked and Sam shook his head.

“Passed away a couple of years ago,” Sam told him and Fitz looked over at the computer.

“Can I sit down?” he asked the person behind it who nodded and moved away. “Okay, I think I can just...” he typed on the keyboard and changed some variables and shook his head. “It’s possible, but it’s going to take a very long time. There’s so much to consider. It’s a shame that none of the elders from the inhumans are alive - they could’ve told us about the stone and what it was.”

“Would Skye know?” Sam asked but Fitz shook his head. 

“I doubt it, she wanted to leave Afterlife as soon as possible,” he said and looked at the screen. “I’ll get Agent Weaver to run some tests on it, the one that Si...” he sighed. “That Simmons was meant to do. See if we can get some more answers.” 

Fitz worked for two weeks before answers came, tweaking the simulations. The kree stone was deadly to inhumans because if they were swallowed by it, they would be transported back into their human states so no longer with their powers. For Simmons, it just took her back to a different time - he wondered why that was the time that it had chosen for her, or how she could even control getting into specific times. Then again, she was a clever woman and if anyone would be able to handle it, she would.

“So what happened when she was training with Ward?” Fitz asked Sam who shrugged. 

“I don’t know, totally different timeline,” he responded.

“If only there was a way to actually tell where she was at each place in each timeline - track her aging progress .Then I can go back and see her and know exactly where she would be.” Fitz suggested. “It’s science beyond what I know...if it even exists.”

“Do you think you could do it?” Sam asked and Fitz leant back in the chair.

“I’ll make it my life’s mission to try.”

 

1999

It came to Simmons’ would be 13th birthday and she phoned up the LMD of herself to ask how her family was. She missed them, but it was only temporary. Once she got to the academy, she’d resume her role. Bradley even made a cake for her which made her smile, but it just made her consider how lonely she really was. 

“Knock knock,” Ward knocked at her door and Simmons looked up and smiled. “My parents never celebrated our birthdays - except for Thomas. He always got one.”

“For my 13th, my parents got me a klein bottle,” Simmons smiled. “It was beautiful.” Ward looked at her confused. “Never mind. You’re progressing really well, you’re good at shooting and combat. You’ll be ready to go to the academy soon, although technically you shouldn’t go until 2004.”

“Yeah, look - I know it’s been difficult having me here. Bradley told me that stuff happened but didn’t say what exactly that was,” Ward said. “I just want to say thanks, and I got you a present.”

“I thought you weren’t meant to go outside?” 

“I asked Bradley to get it for me,” Ward smiled and reached into his pocket and handed her a keyring with a J on it. “I know, you probably have plenty but I don’t know any science stuff I could’ve got. Sorry it’s not a kane bottle.”

“Klein bottle,” Simmons corrected and smiled. “It’s really nice, thank you.”

“I can’t really make up for whatever you say happened in the future or the past but I am really grateful for your help,” Ward told her. “I don’t feel that angry anymore. I can be at peace with things.”

“That’s good,” Simmons told him and put her keyring on the side table.

“I didn’t think it would be this quick, I thought maybe it would take a few years for me to calm down but just like that? It’s gone. I think I’m ready to be a proper S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.”

“Well, you’re not quite ready because you have to go to the academy and you have to do tests and get vetted.”

“Yeah, but I’ll be fine on those. Life finally has given me some purpose, isn’t that great?” Ward smiled genuinely. “And that’s all down to you. Thanks, for giving me a chance.”

“I had to,” Simmons smiled back.

“Because of what I did?” Ward asked and Simmons sighed.

“What you did was a different lifetime, a different person. You don’t need to know what that was.”

“But what if the same thing happened again. If I knew how bad it was then I could prevent it,” Ward suggested. 

“It doesn’t work like that,” Simmons told him. “I know what happens when you tell someone about their future and they try to change it. It...doesn’t end well.”  
“It’s upsetting you, whatever it is, if you just tell me then I can make right. You’re like a sister to me, Jemma and I don’t want to be the scary monster that you...”

“You took my best friend away,” Simmons said sharply and then looked up. “I...no, I can’t...” she tried to walk away but Ward held her hand and she looked at him. 

“How?” he asked her.

There was no way she could put it off any longer - it had been almost 6 months but she had to tell him. Maybe he was right, maybe it would change things for the better? She sat back down next to him and started to talk, looking up at the ceiling.

“After you set fire to your home, with your brother in there, you were taken to jail. Your brother wanted you tried as an adult so a man called John Garrett broke you out. He made you into a killer and told you that he was part of an organization called HYDRA.”

“HYDRA?”

“They’re like the anti-S.H.I.E.L.D., formed by Nazis,” she explained. “Our worst enemy and they were hiding in S.H.I.E.L.D. as sleeper agents for years. Ever since it was formed, all the way to the top. You...were one of them. We all trusted you when you joined our team and befriended us all. You had us all fooled,” she looked out of the window instead. “Then, when HYDRA were outed, you killed a high ranking member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and lots of other agents. You pretended you were still one of us, but then killed one of Bradley’s LMDs - Eric Koenig. He doesn’t know that, but if he did he would be furious. Then, when Fitz and I tried to get our plane back you had a choice of killing us or dropping us into the ocean. You did the latter.”

“What?! How did you not drown?”

“We were in a med-pod and it sank to the bottom. We only had enough oxygen for one of us and Fitz...he...he made me take it...” Simmons felt tears. “I pulled him up and he...he had brain damage. He wasn’t the same...I mean, he’s recovering now, but it was painful to watch him at the worst points.” 

“Was Fitz special to you?”

“He is...” Simmons had tears down her cheeks. “I went to HYDRA undercover because I made him worse just to give him space and finally, we somehow managed to make it back to being friends. But when we did, it was different,” she sniffed and smiled slightly. “We were going to go out on a date. We never got to, not in that timeline anyway.”

“Did I hurt anyone else?” Ward asked.

“Plenty of people, Ward,” Simmons said quietly. “You hurt a lot of people and you killed your family. Hurt my friends, my team...I tried...”

“What? Jemma?” he questioned and she continued.

“I tried to kill you, but someone else got in the way. You didn’t kill me but you had other plans. You tortured another agent instead and I don’t even know what happened after that...”

Ward was silent for a few moments before speaking.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know what I can say...I didn’t think it would be that bad. But at least, I didn’t kill you.”

“You certainly wanted to.”

“But I didn’t and that shows I was still a good person. Maybe if you ever get back to that timeline, you can find me and sway me back?”

“I think you’re beyond hope there,” Simmons shook her head.

“I can’t believe you wanted to kill me,” Ward said. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“That’s what you did to us. You changed. After you made me lose Fitz, I bec...”

“I didn’t cause you to lose Fitz,” Ward told her. “You were the one who left him. I mean, it sounds like if I hadn’t done that then you would’ve been killed for sure!” 

“We were still left for dead! We could’ve died down there!”

“But you didn’t. You’re alive and your guy Fitz was alive?”

“That’s not the point, it’s what you inflicted upon us. We were a team, Ward. You destroyed the only family you had,” Simmons shook her head. “And you’re not even resentful for it.” 

“You’re the one blaming me for your problems with your lover-boy,” Ward argued. “When you’re the one who left him. I may have hurt you but if my friend was in that much need, I wouldn’t have just abandoned them!”   
“Don’t you dare!” Simmons squeaked and stood up. “Don’t you DARE question what I did! I did what I had to! He wouldn’t have recovered without me there!”

“It looks like he did, and you may think that by coming back you can prevent what I did to you both, but you’re the one who needs to change what you did.”

“I did nothing wrong...”

“So you’re telling me that if this happened all over again, you’d leave him? You’d leave him, knowing that it would make things worse?” Ward asked and Simmons folded her arms as tears fell.

“I shouldn’t have done this. You...you’re still finding a way to shift the blame. That’s what you did before, that’s what you do now. Nothing is your fault.”

“It’s not! I was abused! You know my childhood!”

“I know that even by changing that you’re still the smug man that you were then and you don’t have any remorse.”

“Because I didn’t do anything! That wasn’t me!” Ward told her. “You know who I am and I’d never hurt you Jemma.” Simmons turned away and dried her eyes. “You can’t distinguish between us can you? You can’t forget what I did?”

“How can I when you are the reason for all of these problems?” Simmons asked him. Ward shook his head and walked past her.

“Am I? Now who’s the one shifting the blame? You may think that by changing the past you’re making up for the future, but somewhere, in a different timeline there’s a Fitz who was let down by you, and you can’t change that. No matter how many things you change in this lifetime,” he said and left a sobbing Simmons in the room alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter! Got through this fic quickly! Might even be able to finish it today! 
> 
> The worst has happened and Simmons dreads the worst with regards to Ward. Can she get there in time to save him or will he be the one to save her? And Fitz has a secret he's been holding with him which is going to change things in his timeline.

2000

It had been four months since Ward had left with just a letter saying that he didn’t think he could find redemption for something he didn’t do and he would make his own path. Bradley suggested going after him and tracking, but Simmons said there was no point. He’d made his choice and maybe some things just could not be changed. She remained with Bradley at the playground fixing it up and working on the LMDs. However, her research would be finished soon so she was considering going back home. 

She was in her room reading the ‘Time Machine’ when Bradley rushed into the room, panting.

“Jemma, you have to see this. Come quickly!” he said. She shot up and followed him. They rushed into the main room and he showed her a news report.

Ward’s family home had been burnt down, with his mother, father and brother Christian in it. Flashbacks reached Simmons - it was the exact way that this had happened before. 

“We have to go. We have to find him! He could get into big trouble,” Simmons said. 

“I’ll get the jet,” Bradley ran off. 

Simmons and Bradley flew towards Massachusetts not speaking throughout and arrived in a couple of hours. She was dreading what they would find. Bradley ran a tracker showing that Ward wasn’t far away from the house - still near the woods. What if he wanted to get arrested for what he’d done?! 

“Oh my God...” she looked out of the window of the jet seeing flames rising into the sky. “He didn’t do it half heartedly...”

“I can’t land here, we need to go further away,” Bradley explained. “Strap in.” 

Simmons got into her seat as the jet flew down and landed outside a woodland area.

“I’ll go to the house, you stay here,” Bradley said but Simmons shook her head.

“I may look young but I’ve been in the field more times than you. I’m capable of being on my own,” she told him and Bradley then nodded and handed her a small gun. “And if he’s doing this, it’s because of me.”

“Here’s the tracker, he’s in the right side of the woods. Be careful,” he warned her and she nodded.

“You too.”

Bradley cocked his gun and walked through the forest towards the burning house, fire engines blaring their sirens from all around and Simmons walked the other way - she had to find some trace of Ward.

“Ward!” she whispered. “Grant! Grant!” she looked around between the trees. She checked the tracker - she was getting closer to him. “Grant!” 

“What’s a young girl like you wandering about by herself?” a voice came from behind and Simmons spun around and pointed her gun, facing a man she hadn’t seen for almost 2 years. 

“John Garrett,” she said and he looked at her, quizzically.

“How do you know my...”

“I know plenty. I know who you are, about Deathlock, about HYDRA, I know all of it,” she said and he moved closer, holding up his hands. 

“What, are you clairvoyant?” Garrett asked and Simmons looked around and down at the tracker.

“Are you here to get Ward? Because if you are, I won’t let you. He’s...he doesn’t need to be with someone like you! You’re going to ruin him, turn him into a killing machine. Just because he burnt down a house doesn’t give you the right to...”

“Burnt down his house? Oh...I guess there’s something you didn’t see, little girl. Ward didn’t burn down his family home, I did,” Garrett smiled and Simmons gaped at him. “I know what those people did to him. His mother, his father, his brother. I wanted to rid him of those people because abuse doesn’t go away unless you cut it off at the head.”

“And another grows back, in the form of you,” she nodded towards him and Garrett laughed.

“You’re smart. Whoever you are, you’ll be a huge asset to me,” Garrett told her. “I came to find Grant Ward but I’ve got a buy one get one free offer. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I would never work for you, or HYDRA. I am loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Garrett said. “You’re a little young for an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I would’ve heard of you. Who are you?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, I think it does,” Garrett stepped closer and Simmons tightened her grip on the gun. “You wouldn’t shoot me, you’re just a little girl. I can see it in your eyes that you’re not a killer. You still have some innocence there, even if you’re trying to hide it. You’re not going to kill me, and I’m not going to kill you, and you’re out here all on your own so why not come with me and let me show you the way...”

Gunshots were fired and Garrett fell forward, dead. Simmons gasped and looked behind him and saw Ward with a gun.

“But I would kill you,” he said and looked at Simmons who regained her composure. 

“One of our guns?” she asked and he nodded.

“Something to remember you guys by,” he said. 

“I’m sorry, he killed your family. Thomas and Georgina weren’t there, it was just...”

“It’s okay,” Ward looked towards where the house would be. “He did what I wanted to do all those months ago and now, I don’t have to. We should get away from here, as soon as they hear the gunshots they’ll come for us.”

“Okay,” Simmons nodded and ran along with Ward towards the jet. “I think Bradley is still at the house. Where have you been all these months?”

“Living on the streets,” he confessed. “Look, I’m sorry for what I said. About Fitz. It was wrong of me, and I know you had your reasons.”

“No, I’m the sorry one. I...you were right that I couldn’t forgive you. I wanted to, so much. But every time I saw you it just reminded me of all the bad things that the other Ward did. It...it hurt to know that you got another chance when Fitz...Fitz had lost so much and he wouldn’t get another chance at his life. But, I haven’t stopped thinking about it all those months and I’m wrong to feel the way that I do about you. Because, yes, maybe another Grant Ward in another lifetime was bad, but you’re not him. And you shouldn’t have to suffer because you didn’t do the things he did. Whereas, I did do the things that I regret and I’m going to have to live with the fact that I abandoned Fitz and I couldn’t save Tripp and I isolated Skye.”

“You can’t let that hold you back. Regrets are in the past and if you’re bringing them into the future then you’re never going to change being that person, even if you want to. Your timeline is here and you can change all those things.”

“Still doesn’t change that it happened in another timeline,” Simmons said.

“No, but at least it doesn’t happen in every timeline,” Ward reminded her. “The fact you’re doing this shows how much you care about these people. As long as you make things right in the end, sure it doesn’t excuse what happened, but if you’re willing to accept it and live with it, then sometimes that makes you a more righteous person than someone who’s always done everything right.”

Simmons smiled to herself.

“When did you get so philosophical?” 

“I’m like your big brother. I may not have more than two PHDs but there are still things I can tell you that you don’t know,” Ward smiled. 

“Well, technically I am still about 13 years older than you,” Simmons told him and put her arms around Ward to hug him and he hugged her back. 

“I need to go and see Georgina and Thomas,” Ward explained. “But as soon as I’m done there, I’m coming back to S.H.I.E.L.D. and we can start all over again. Clean slate.”

“Clean slate,” Simmons agreed as the door to the jet opened and Bradley climbed in.

“Oh great, you two kids are in here when I’m out there looking for you,” he said. “They told me that they saw a man do it, not a young boy.”

“John Garrett,” Simmons told him. “But Ward got rid of him.”

“And...what about you two? Have you made up?” Bradley asked tentatively and both nodded at the same time. 

“We’re going to be fine,” Ward said.

Ward and Simmons spent two years going through training and helped Bradley with building the playground and tweaking the LMDs. Eventually, however, there was no need for Simmons to stay. Luckily, she hadn’t changed much in the last couple of years so it was easy to swap her and the LMD so Simmons could resume her normal life. It was a sad farewell to Ward who did come to visit occasionally, of course without her parents knowing, and Bradley too. Simmons re-acquired her two PHDs (the work being much easier to her now) and Ward started the academy early. Simmons wasn’t sure about letting him, in case too much changed, but already a lot had changed - this was life now and that was constantly changing. 

When it came to 2004, Simmons was noticed by S.H.I.E.L.D. who asked her if she wanted to go to the academy and she agreed. She was back, and everything was familiar to her as if she hadn’t been away. Although, now that she’d been in this timeline for five years, she didn’t feel like partying as much being a 32 almost 33 year old. 

On the first night, she did a video call with Bradley. 

“Hey! Can you see me?” she asked. “Put the camera...yeah, there you go!”

“Jemma! You look really well, how was it?”

“So familiar! Luckily all the classes are easy, even though they were easy the last time too,” she stated with a smile. “Just feels strange being back. I get to redo this all over again. My room looks almost identical to how it was before.”

“Well, make sure you eat properly and if you need any help then I’m here,” Bradley told her and Simmons laughed. “Have you seen Fitz yet?”

She sighed and nodded.

“We’re in quite a few classes together. Still won’t talk to me. Trying to one up me, as he used to do. I just have to wait two weeks before we’re put together in chem-lab and then I’ll start talking to him properly. We became friends very soon after that.”

“Are you going to tell him about the time travel?”

“Oh God no, he would think I’m crazy,” Simmons laughed half heartedly. “Honestly, I...I think it’s better that I don’t tell him. He’d just...he’d understand, but who knows what path our lives would take. I guess...it’s better that he doesn’t know. I mean, I could always ask him out, but I don’t think he has feelings for me yet and that’s a bit rushed and desperate but...just being close to him. Being his friend. Maybe that’s all I deserve, after the way I treated him.”

“Jemma...”

“It’s true. He...confessed his feelings for me and then I waited too long to respond and now I’m not going to tell him,” she said with a tear in her eye which she blinked back, quickly. “It’s fine. We were good at being friends anyway.” 

“Alright, if you’re sure,” Bradley said. “What are you doing in your room? It’s the first day, go out and party!” 

“Oh, but I’m tired!” Simmons laughed. “Maybe I’ll go for a little while.”

“Yes, you won’t get those moments again. I mean, you might, but you should enjoy yourself while you can. But be responsible,” he pointed at the screen and she smiled and nodded. “And I have spoken to Ward, he’s busy at the moment on a date with some girl, but he wishes you good luck and hope you’re having a good time with the nerds.”

“Erm, excuse me, I’m not a nerd,” Simmons smiled. 

“Says the girl with the TARDIS sheets,” Bradley raised his eyebrows and Simmons laughed. “I’ll let you go. Go have fun!” 

“I will, bye!” Simmons signed off from the call, ready to re-experience her first day at the academy.

 

2017

Fitz had spent two years working on time travel. At the start he would still go on missions would Coulson, but over the course of the couple of years, he started staying back at the safe house. Coulson had been worried about him and several times, he’d suggested Fitz giving up but as Fitz reminded him, they’d seen much weirder things than time travel. The kree stone was moved to the safe house also rather than staying at the playground. 

However, on the 6th June 2017, Fitz finally called a meeting with Coulson.

“Fitz?” Coulson looked at him. Fitz sighed and started to speak.

“Okay, I...I’ll leave out the complicated science bits but I managed to find a way for me to get back to the specific timeline that Simmons is in, but I found that out 6 months ago. Since then, I’ve been stalling and waiting for the right moment to tell you.”

“To tell me what?” Coulson asked.

Fitz got a piece of paper and started to draw.

“Because Simmons doesn’t have a body here after she was taken by the rock, there’s no way she can come back to this timeline at that single point. She could come back to any point before, but she can’t stop herself going back in time or she wouldn’t be here in the first place. And even if I told her to come back to the second after she went, it still wouldn’t work because then I wouldn’t have gone back in the first place to tell her that. Grandfather paradox.”

“I thought you said no science?” 

“Sorry, that’s not really a scientific term to me, I understand it is for you,” Fitz said and Coulson laughed slightly. “But, what I’m saying is, there’s no way we bring Simmons back to this timeline.”

“Never?”

Fitz shook his head. 

“So, we can’t get her back?” Coulson asked. “There really is no way?”

“She can be in a totally different 2017 but not this particular timeline,” Fitz said. “But, like I said, there is a way that I can go back to that specific timeline that she’s in, but once I go back, I can’t come back to this timeline after 2017, for the same reasons.” 

“What are you saying Fitz?” Coulson asked but he already knew the answer. Fitz swallowed back.

“I can’t live without her, sir. I want to be with her and I spent these last few months trying to move on, seeing if I could find any possible way but I can’t. I just can’t. She’s my other half and she knows that too,” Fitz told him. “The moment I fell in love with her was when I realised that she was more than just a friend. It took her jumping out of a plane to realise that and being at the bottom of the ocean to admit that to her. In that timeline that she’s in now, nothing that drastic happened, so I never realised I felt that way. She was just my friend and yet, she never moved on from me. She let me have my happiness without her and she never told me about the time travel. To have all those feelings and never anything - I know what that was like for a few months, but not for a lifetime? I want see her again and I’ve tried every single possible way, but there’s no way we’re going to get back to this timeline. We might get to others together but that Jemma that went into the rock, she’s going to be stuck on her own there with no one to tell. She died alone at 73. No kids, no family, just LMDs. I can’t abandon her because she tried so hard to get back to me and change things just so I could be happy. I’m going to go find her, but I’m not coming back. I’m going to stay there with her.”

“I was really, really hoping you wouldn’t say that,” Coulson replied. “I can’t believe I’ve lost you both. What about your friends here, your life? Your mother?”

“Jemma is my life,” Fitz told him. “You don’t know how tempting it is has been to imagine her there again, taking the easy way out. Or go upstairs and look at her LMD, but I haven’t done it. I know I’ll regress without her. My friends, Skye, Mack, May, Hunter and Bobbi? I can explain to them. And my mum? And actually, Jemma’s parents? I think you should put them through TAHITI, like you did with Cal. It’s better for them...”

“Fitz...”

“And Ward too, if you find him. Put him through TAHITI and try to make him a better person because that’s what Jemma wanted,” Fitz told him. “I have to do this, sir. I’m sorry, I’m sorry to leave you in the lurch like this, but I...I love her and she loves me too. And we’ll meet, in another timeline, you and me and I’ll warn you about things and so will she. Things will be better. So don’t miss us too much.”

“It’s too late for that,” Coulson said with tears in his eyes and hugged Fitz. “You give one of those to Jemma too when you see her. You both deserve to be happy and if this is the only way you can do it, then I promise, I won’t stop you. I know what it’s like to be away from the one you love and it hurts like hell, so if there’s a way you can be together, you should take it.”

“Thank you sir,” Fitz said and smiled at Coulson with tears already running down his face.

“When are you going?” Coulson asked. 

“As soon as I can. I’ll say my goodbyes to everyone first,” Fitz sniffed and Coulson nodded, patting him on the back. 

“Okay, I’ll drive you back to the playground.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God, my final chapter! I've loved doing this fic, it's been hard to write but it is probably my favourite one I've done. Aww, I feel so sad!!! Here you go and honestly, thanks so much to every reader, kudos, bookmark and comment I've had. <3 I love you guys!!!

2004

It came to the special day, two weeks after their classes had begun when Fitzsimmons were to be paired up in chem-lab. After a while of awkward eye contact and trying to better the other in their classes, Simmons was ready to finally get a chance to talk to Fitz. She purposely made herself look nicer, adding makeup and a more flattering blouse. 

Their lecturer made the joke about how ‘Fitz-Simmons’ sounded like a name as she remembered and once everyone was called, she picked up her things and walked over to Leo Fitz.

“Hi!” she said a bit too excitedly and then cleared her throat. “Jemma Simmons.”

“I know,” Fitz said. “Leo Fitz.”

“I know that too,” Simmons smiled and sat down next to him. She noticed the same scribbles on Fitz’s paper that she’d seen all that time ago when they’d been there before. Their lecturer explained what they needed to do and as before, Simmons started to organise the pair with equipment.  
Fitz sat back and watched her quietly before commenting that Simmons was doing it wrong. She hadn’t done simple chemistry like this in a while, so she was a little rusty.

“Sorry,” Simmons said and Fitz stood up from his stool and took over. “So, you’re from Scotland?” 

“Did the accent give it away?” he asked and she shrugged as the experiment was set up and ready. “Right, I guess we’re ready to do this titration. See you at the end point!” 

“I...I was just about to say that. That exact joke!” Fitz looked into her eyes and Simmons shuddered inside. “Wow...how did you know that?” she smiled.

“Guess we’re on the same wave-length,” she told him and sat back down as she turned the tap.

It was the first time Simmons had laughed properly in ages and felt happy. Even though they had technically ‘just met,’ being around Fitz made everything better. Someone to talk to properly - he was the smartest person she knew. 

Their experiment was set to take a couple of hours, so their lecturer suggested they go out and have a break. Simmons followed Fitz out and Fitz had his notes with him.

“Erm...I don’t suppose you...want to go get a drink or something?” Simmons asked Fitz and he looked over.

“A...drink? You do know it’s 11am and we’re 17 years old?”

“Not that kind of drink!” Simmons laughed. “Jesus, what do you take me for?” Fitz smiled awkwardly at that. “No, I meant tea or something?”

“Do you drink tea too?” Fitz said excitedly. “That’s cool, something else we have in common.”

“We have a lot in common actually,” Simmons said and then shook her head. “I mean, our ages, the fact we’re both from the UK, both scientists.”

“Technically I’m an engineer,” Fitz corrected her. “Yeah, we can get some tea, but I want to go over some designs so I might not be great company.”

“Honestly, I don’t mind. It’s a bit lonely here without anyone,” Simmons told him and Fitz smiled. 

“Yeah, I felt the same. Guess we could be friends? If you don’t mind.”

“No, not at all!” she said a bit too quickly. “Yeah, that’ll be nice. Cool...”

The two walked into the cafeteria and Fitz went up to the counter. 

“I’ll get the tea, how do you have it?” he said and Simmons smiled. 

“You don’t have to get it,” she said but he shook his head and smiled. “Erm, milk no sugar.”

“Oh, see I have about 3 sugars in my tea,” Fitz said. “Don’t understand people who drink it without. Maybe we aren’t that similar after all,” he smiled and went over and ordered. 

“I used to...” Simmons replied quietly.

 

2017

Fitz had told Coulson not to tell the other agents exactly where he was going and for now, just to say that he was on a mission. They wouldn’t let him go if they knew but hopefully they would understand his reasoning. Nevertheless he still said goodbye for now, knowing he would see them all again someday, but they wouldn’t know him. May was the only other person who knew and for the first time, gave Fitz a huge hug and told him to be safe and keep Simmons safe too.

Coulson drove Fitz back to the safe house and met Sam there.

“It’s been an honour and I really hope you two are so happy,” Sam hugged Fitz and Fitz smiled and nodded.

“So do I, because there’s no going back...” he breathed out and he and Coulson followed Sam to the basement where the kree rock was. 

“I can’t believe this is it,” Coulson said. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

“It’s safe,” Sam told him. Fitz turned around and looked at Coulson and the older man hugged him. 

“We’ll miss you, both of you,” Coulson said. “Good luck agent Fitz.”

“Thank you, sir,” Fitz said. “I’ll see another you in about 10 years? Might even be able to stop you dying!” 

“Yeah, tell me to stay far away from Gods with scepters,” Coulson laughed slightly and Fitz exhaled, looking up at the rock. The other two stood back and he slowly opened the door and stepped into the case.

“This feels weird, I thought it might smell?” Fitz commented and looked around at the enclosure. “Good luck to you too. Keep S.H.I.E.L.D. safe...”

And those were Fitz’s final words before the rock turned into liquid and swallowed him. He felt like he was drowning all over again and it nearly filled his throat. Everything went to darkness - Fitz had no idea where he was going to end up. His thought was of Jemma and her alone. He hoped that would be enough...

 

2004

“Leopold Fitz?” a voice came. “If you want to sleep then you are in the wrong place.”

Fitz opened his eyes and looked around at a busy lecture hall - every eye focused on him. 

“Fitz? What’s wrong?” he felt a hand on his arm and looked over at a teenage Jemma Simmons sat next to him. 

“Jemma? Is it...” he looked around. “This is...is it?” Simmons’s brown eyes looked into his, filled with concern.

“Sounds like someone had a heavy night,” a voice came and the hall erupted in laughter.

“Thank you Simon. Now, could I get on with the lecture?” Professor Vaughn said. Fitz reached for the phone in front of him and looked at the date: October 20th 2004.

“Back to where she...started. Oh my God, Jemma? Jemma, we need to get out of here,” Fitz grabbed his things and her hand and pulled Simmons up. 

“Fitz!” 

“Erm, sorry professor,” Simmons said as Fitz dragged her out. He looked around at the corridor and Simmons shut the door behind them. “Fitz? What’s wr...”

“Jemma, Jemma it’s me!” Fitz walked up to her and held her hands. “It’s me!”

“Yes, I can see that bu...”

“No, you don’t understand. It’s me...” he put emphasis on the last word and looked deep into her eyes.

At that moment, she knew...

Simmons put her hands to her mouth and then put them to Fitz’s cheeks and pushed back his hair.

“No...no that’s not possible! How...oh my God, it...no! It can’t be! How did...it was the past?!”

“Bradley,” Fitz said. “Bradley set it up that Sam Koenig would tell me everything after you left.” 

“But...but how did he? I told him not to tell you! And how did he know, it was the past...before I went...”

“He worked for years and years on it. Something to do with your DNA, we don’t have to go into the science now,” Fitz told her. 

“But you can’t go back now,” she let go of him. “There’s no body for you there, or for me, too much has changed and...”

“I know. I’m not going back,” Fitz told her and Simmons shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. 

“You...there’s so much there for you, and you came back for me? No, Fitz I can’t ask you to do that...”

“Well, you didn’t ask me. I spent two whole years working out how to do it,” Fitz told her. “I know everything that you did. Everything that happened, I spent all that time working on it.”   
“Everything?”

“Everything. Even about what happened in that other timeline,” Fitz said. “And I can’t believe you went back to fix things with Ward. I saw how scared you were of him,” Fitz reached up and encircled his arms around her. “How much you wanted to hurt him, but you did it, didn’t you? You changed him.” Simmons nodded and more tears fell out. 

“I thought...I thought you’d be angry with me...for leaving you,” she cried. 

“It wasn’t your fault, it was that stupid rock. But it brought us back together and maybe it wasn’t so bad after all?” Fitz told her and put a hand on her cheek to dry her tears. “I am never letting you go, Jemma Simmons. Whether you like it or not, I’m here and I’m here by choice, because I want to be with you.” 

“Oh Leo...” she sobbed into him and hugged Fitz tightly, crying into his shoulder and tears ran down from his eyes too. “I’ve been waiting for years, I never thought I’d see you again. I mean, I saw this you but it’s not the same and...I never thought I’d get you back...”

“I know baby girl, but it’s you and me now and that’s not going to change,” Fitz said and leant closer to her - she smelt so familiar. “And I have been waiting years to do this.” He held her cheeks and kissed her through her tears. Simmons kissed him back, more and more, desperately. 

“I love you,” she told him and Fitz smiled. It was the words she’d wanted to say for years.

“I love you too,” he told her back and kissed her again. “And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. In fact...I want to make this official. I know that we’re both meant to be 17 but actually you’re 33 and I’m almost 30 but that’s okay because older women seem to like me,” Fitz laughed slightly through his tears. “But Jemma Simmons, when we are legally old enough, will you marry me?”

Simmons inhaled deeply, her heart flying and started kissing Fitz all over his face and then over and over again on his lips. 

“Yes! Oh Leo, yes!” Simmons laughed and cried at the same time. “This is like a fairytale...these things don’t happen! Happy endings don’t happen!”

“Well there is one bit of bad news,” Fitz said and she looked up at him. “I know all the answers for these tests and experiments, so even though I may still have 97.4 in that kinetics paper but I can go back and beat you in all of the others.”

“I’ve had much longer than you to prepare, so actually I can still beat you,” Simmons scrunched her nose up and pressed it against his. “Healthy competition can aid a relationship.”

“I hope so,” Fitz said and looked into her eyes. “I’ve missed you. I want to do things right this time. It’s not every day you get a chance to redo things.”

“It’s not, and I promise that I’ll never leave you again. Intentional or unintentional. This is it,” Simmons held his hands. “Erm...I don’t know what we should do now! How do we go back to lectures after this!” she laughed. 

“I need to see what my room’s like, haven’t been there for years,” Fitz said and Simmons nodded. “Maybe we could have some tea?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. I was always thirsty after coming out of the rock. Maybe tonight, we can finally go out for that dinner. I know somewhere really nice,” she said and Fitz nodded and held her hand as they walked towards his room. 

“Oh, and guess what? I stopped having sugar in my tea!” he said, excitedly. “I didn’t understand how you did it, and it took a while but once I started, I just couldn’t go back.”

“See! I told you, ruins your teeth,” Simmons smiled as they walked down the steps to the dorm building. “I can’t believe it, Fitz. There’s so much to consider, so much we can do differently and change.”

“We don’t have to do it alone though, now we have each other,” Fitz said, and squeezed her hand tighter.

“I know,” Simmons sighed happily. “I just can’t believe all of this happened. After all this time, I accepted my fate. I can barely remember what life was like before. It changed everything. I thought it was impossible, that there was no way...yet here we are.” She stopped and faced him.

Fitz put his arms around Simmons's waist and pulled her closer to him and leant forward and kissed her, once again. 

“Well, I guess maybe there is...” he said to Jemma.

 

2017

Coulson stared at the rock as it turned into liquid, churning in the box and then turned back into rock. Sam entered the room and put a hand on his shoulder.

“It is a beautiful thing, mesmerizing to watch,” Sam said. 

“I just can’t believe they’re gone. We’ll never see them again. They were like my kids, I feel like I’ve failed them.”

“No, you didn’t,” Sam said. “It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have stopped them. They had to be together. Sometimes, things are just fated. They are literally the stuff that films are based on. It’s such a beautiful love story. She searches for him but he finds her and...somewhere, I hope they’re happy.”

“Me too,” Coulson sighed. “What you do if you could change anything?”

“Me?” Sam smirked. “I would’ve dated the Cavalry.” 

“Oh really?” Coulson laughed. “I’m sorry to break it to you but she’s always been in love with Andrew.”  
“Maybe an LMD of her, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

“Probably not a great idea. Agent May does not appreciate it when other people take her face,” Coulson smiled as the rock turned back into liquid.

“And you, sir?” 

“I’d fix things with Audrey. I know, that couldn’t happen because I’m the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I have to keep secret, but if I could just have one night. Just to take her to dinner and we could have some normality.” Coulson then smiled to himself. “You know what? I think I might just do that. If Fitzsimmons have taught me anything, it’s that even time doesn’t stand in the way of true love. I’m going to give her a call.”

“Excellent sir, I can fly you out there if you want too?” Sam said.

“Thanks Sam, I’d really appreciate it,” Coulson told him and the two left the basement. 

“Hey, sir?” Sam said to him and Coulson turned to face him. “I don’t suppose Audrey has a sister?”


End file.
